Paediatric Trauma: Pattern of Injuries and Outcomes at National Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu, South East Nigeria

Paediatric trauma is a leading cause of preventable childhood mortality and long-term disability in Nigeria, driven by road traffic accidents, falls, and domestic injuries. This retrospective descriptive study analyses the pattern, management, and outcomes of paediatric trauma cases at the National Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu (NOHE), Enugu State, South East Nigeria, over a four-year period from 2020 to 2023. Records of 247 children aged zero to 15 years admitted with traumatic injuries were reviewed. Data collected included age, sex, mechanism of injury, anatomical site, Injury Severity Score (ISS), operative interventions, length of hospital stay, and outcome. Road traffic accidents were the leading cause of injury (41.3%), followed by falls (33.6%) and sports-related injuries (11.3%). Long bone fractures were the most common injury type (52.6%), with femur fractures being most prevalent. Head injuries were present in 27.9% of cases and were associated with the highest mortality (14.5%). Surgical intervention was required in 61.1% of admissions. Mean length of hospital stay was 21.4 days. Case fatality rate was 5.7%. Children with ISS above 15 had significantly worse outcomes. The study recommends strengthening paediatric trauma care protocols, road safety education targeting school-age children and caregivers, and expanding trauma surgical capacity in south-eastern Nigeria. Keywords: paediatric trauma, road traffic accidents, fractures, Enugu, South East Nigeria.