Pediatric trauma at a general hospital in Cali, Colombia.

Abstract Background Trauma is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Blunt traumais the most common type and falls and road traffic injuries (RTI) are the most frequent mechanisms. Methods Secondary analysis of institutional data included within the Panamerican Society of Trauma Registry (STP-ITSDP). A total of 581 trauma patients younger than 18years, hospitalized between 2012 and 2014, were included. Results Blunt trauma(BT) (68%) was the most common type, and falls (42.5%) the most common mechanism. Median age was: 14years for penetrating trauma(PT), 8years for BT, and 5.5years for other types of trauma (OT). Of all patients, 8.1% had a Glasgow score Conclusions Trauma is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in our pediatric population. Fundacion Valle de Lili (FVL), a referral hospital, receives a high number of trauma patients from southwestern Colombia. Detailed knowledge of epidemiological data will help us to develop rapid response strategies for patients with trauma and to develop prevention and promotion programs.