Objectivization of ChestInjuries and Associated Injuries by the AbbreviatedInjury Scale and the New Injury Severity Score

Overview

The authors focused attention on objectivization of the severity of chest injuries and associatedinjuries using the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) and the New Injury Severity Score (NISS). Theyevaluated injuries detected on post-mortem examination in subjects who died from the sequelaeof injuries in the Faculty Hospital Prague 10. The group comprised a total of 90 subjects regar-dless of sex aged 17 - 94 years who died in the hospital in 1996 - 2000. Traffic injuries accountedfor 70 % deaths, other blunt injuries for 27.8 % and only 2.2 % were penetrating injuries of thechest. The mean AIS value of the chest was 3.7, the mean value of NISS was 50.7. The NISS valuedeclined in relation to age of the deceased patients and the period of survival. The period ofsurvival varied from 30 mins. to 136 days. The mean NISS value on survival up to 5 hours afterinjury was 55.0. On comparison of our group we found that the results were consistent with thoseof American studies.

Key words:
chest injury - AIS - NISS