Patterns of injury in geriatric falls

Conn Med. 2009 Mar;73(3):139-45.

Abstract

Falls are the most common cause of trauma in the elderly. Data regarding patterns of injury following geriatric falls are scant. We conducted a retrospective review of falls in patients aged 65 years and older seen at a trauma center over a nine year period. Two thousand eighty three patients met the inclusion criteria. Hip fracture proved to be the dominant injury (55%), 98% of which were isolated. Five hundred seven (21%) were non-hip fractures. Two hundred thirty eight patients (10%) sustained traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. Chest injury was the next most common injury type (6.7%) with rib fractures comprising 86% of this subgroup. A pattern of association between intracranial hemorrhage and cervical spine fractures was identified. Intra-abdominal injuries are rare.

MeSH terms

  • Accidental Falls / statistics & numerical data*
  • Age Factors
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Female
  • Fractures, Bone / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Injury Severity Score
  • Intracranial Hemorrhage, Traumatic / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology*