Falls from height: orthopaedic and psychiatric evaluation

Falls from height: orthopaedic and psychiatric evaluation

Authors

  • Marianna Faggiani 1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, C.T.O., Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, TO, Italy.
  • Elena Aragno Department of Neurosciences "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Italy
  • Alessandro Aprato 1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, C.T.O., Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, TO, Italy.
  • Gianluca Rosso Department of Neurosciences "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Italy. San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital of Orbassano (Turin), Italy.
  • Luigi Giulio Conforti 1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, C.T.O., Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, TO, Italy.
  • Giuseppe Maina Department of Neurosciences "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Italy. San Luigi Gonzaga University Hospital of Orbassano (Turin), Italy.
  • Alessandro Massè 1. Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, C.T.O., Città della Salute e della Scienza, Turin, TO, Italy

Keywords:

Trauma, falls from a height, psychiatric disorder.

Abstract

Background: Fall from a height is one of the major causes of significant trauma with high morbidity and mortality rates. Traumatological damage control is often the primary treatment both for suicide attempt survivors and for accidental fall victims, but management of the hospitalization of psychiatric patients requires more resources than other patients. Methods: Retrospective multidisciplinary study (psychiatric and orthopaedic evaluation) and analysis of psychiatric and trauma characteristics of patients fallen from height admitted to our trauma centre. We analysed patterns of patients after suicidal jumps and accidental falls to look for possible trends that may trigger projects for further improvement of care. Results: 205 patients were analysed, 137 were included: 65 suicide attempt survivors and 72 accidental fall victims. Between these two groups there are no differences about the anaesthesiologic acute management or the number of damage control procedures. However, the psychiatric patients stay longer in hospital especially in intensive care unit with prolonged intubation (p<0.001). Suicide attempt survivors are significant correlated with fractures of feet, but the orthopaedic lesions do not involve an increase of definitive interventions (p< 0.05). Conclusion: We showed that the suicide attempt survivors and accidental victims need the same acute management. The orthopedic definitive surgical procedures are similar between the two groups, but in spite of this patients with psychiatric disorder were associated with a statistically significant increase of care in intensive care unit and hospitalization. Our results allow to create a new multidisciplinary approach for these patients.

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Published

30-05-2020

How to Cite

1.
Faggiani M, Aragno E, Aprato A, Rosso G, Conforti LG, Maina G, et al. Falls from height: orthopaedic and psychiatric evaluation. Acta Biomed [Internet]. 2020 May 30 [cited 2024 Jul. 27];91(4-S):79-84. Available from: https://mattioli1885journals.com/index.php/actabiomedica/article/view/9366