Clinical Trial: Analysis of Risk Factors for Death After Blunt Traumatic Rupture of the Thoracic Aorta

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Observational

Official Title: Analysis of Risk Factors for Death After Blunt Traumatic Rupture of the Thoracic Aorta

Brief Summary: Aortic injuries after blunt thoracic trauma are compared to the great incidence of accidents relatively rare, but potentially serious leading to death at scene in most of the cases. The study was undertaken to delineate mortality and its risk factors on three different levels (pre-hospital, in-hospital and overall). Between 1990 and 2003, all consecutive patients and victims with traumatic aortic rupture were retrospectively analyzed by reviewing hospital and autopsy records.

Detailed Summary: During the study period of 14 years (January 1990 to December 2003), all consecutive cases with traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta being reported in the greater area of Zurich with about one million inhabitants were included in the present study. Related to the final outcome, patient data were drawn either from medical reports from the University Hospital of Zurich, which is a tertiary care teaching hospital and level I trauma center for the eastern part of Switzerland, or from autopsy reports from the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the University of Zurich, respectively. The latter group includes all patients, who died on the scene, in a assigning primary care hospital or on the way to the University Hospital of Zurich. In Switzerland, the criteria used for performing a full autopsy after a blunt traumatic death include all cases in which the events leading to the death are unclear or in which the cause of death is the result of suicide or extrinsic harm. Both, deaths at the scene and in-hospital deaths were included in the study.
Sponsor: University of Zurich

Current Primary Outcome:

Original Primary Outcome:

Current Secondary Outcome:

Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: University of Zurich

Dates:
Date Received: June 28, 2012
Date Started: January 1990
Date Completion:
Last Updated: July 2, 2012
Last Verified: June 2012