Analysis of orthopedic injuries in an airplane landing disaster and a suggested mechanism of trauma

Survival after an airplane disaster is rare. We
describe the injuries of survivors of an airplane accident
and present a common mechanism of trauma for victims.
Descriptive data were gathered by interviews with patients,
physical examination. Review of charts and patients X-ray
Wlms. Informations regarding the Xight characteristics were
obtained from Iran air safety board. All dead patients were
clinically examined by legal medicine department. The suggested
mechanism of trauma was established according to
present knowledge of mechanism of fractures. From 105
passengers, 27 survived. There was no mortality during
hospital course. Between dead passengers, lower extremity
fractures were the most common followed by chest wall
fractures. Among the survivors, neurosurgical help was
needed only in one case for shunt application. Brain concussions
and eVusions and one hematoma managed conservatively.
Two laparotomies were performed for one
splenectomy and two hepatoraphy. One pelvic fracture and
two femur fractures were occurred. Tibia fractures were the
most common (17) followed by spine (14) fractures. Ten
tibial fractures were open, and 15 were in distal third. All
tibia fractures were Wxed with IM locking nails or locking
plates. Eight posterior instrumentations were applied for
seven burst and two fracture-dislocations. In this landing
accident, a combination of vertical loading along with
deceleration force produced burst fractures of spine and
distal leg fractures.