An Analysis of Air-Crash Injury Patterns Presenting at a Level 1 Trauma Unit in Johannesburg, a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Aviation related deaths are often fatal, with most patients dying at the scene; however, with increased safety and improvement in medical management, patients are surviving aviation accidents. Among the aviation-related deaths reported between 1980 and 1990, polytrauma was listed as the immediate cause of death in 42% of fatalities, followed by head injuries (22%), internal organ injuries of the thorax, abdomen, pelvis (12%), burns (4%), and drowning (3%) . Analysis and interpretation of aviation-pattern injuries may provide healthcare facilities with planning information on the spectrum of possible injuries that may be expected, and, furthermore, tools for a protocol and guidelines on the comprehensive and complete management of such patients. The aim of the study was to describe the injury patterns, and mortality rate resulting from air crashes presenting at a level 1 trauma centre in Johannesburg, South Africa