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Abstract
Background: Urotrauma, involving injuries to the kidneys, ureters, and bladder, represents a critical subset of trauma cases, significantly impacting patient morbidity and mortality. Renal and urogenital injuries account for 10–20% of abdominal trauma in adults and children. Understanding urotrauma's epidemiology is vital for improving care protocols and resource allocation. Despite its impact, data on injury mechanisms, intent, and care modalities specific to urotrauma remain limited. This study investigates patterns in injury mechanisms, intent, transport modalities, and facility transfer status to identify factors influencing patient outcomes and inform trauma care improvements.
Methods: A retrospective review analyzed 3,492 trauma cases, filtered for urotrauma using ICD-10 codes (S37.01–S37.23). Variables included intent (unintentional, self-harm, assault), transport modalities (fixed-wing, helicopter, ground ambulance), and facility transfer status (transfer vs. non-transfer). Statistical analyses assessed fatality rates and identified patterns among injury mechanisms, transport methods, and demographics.
Results: Self-harm cases had the highest fatality rate (21.01%), followed by legal/war-related injuries (13.01%) and undetermined cases (12.76%). Unintentional injuries, the majority of cases, had a lower fatality rate (2.95%). Fixed-wing and helicopter transports were associated with higher fatality rates (8.09% and 7.33%, respectively) compared to ground ambulances (3.26%). Walk-in and private/public vehicle transports reported no fatalities but were rare. Non-transfer cases experienced a higher fatality rate (3.78%) than transfer cases (2.63%), suggesting disparities in care access. Motor vehicle occupant injuries accounted for 39% of urotrauma cases. Combined with firearms, falls, motorcyclist, and pedestrian injuries, these mechanisms represented over 80% of cases. Passenger injuries in motor vehicle collisions were the most frequent. Young adults had a high absolute fatality count but lower rates due to better baseline health, while adults showed slightly higher fatality rates, though not statistically significant
Conclusions: This study provides a valuable snapshot into the patterns and outcomes of urotrauma which emphasizes the need for focused interventions to address high-risk scenarios - including self-harm and critical transport modalities. The higher fatality rates among non-transfer cases highlight potential disparities in access to specialized care, underscoring the importance of ensuring equitable access to trauma resources. Public health efforts such as targeting common mechanisms of injury -like improving motor vehicle safety and implementing firearm injury prevention programs could reduce the overall burden of urotrauma. These findings could serve as a foundation for refining trauma care protocols and advancing healthcare equity. Future research should explore resource disparities in trauma facilities and evaluate the impact of targeted interventions on improving patient outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Penmetcha, Neharika; Bangash, Aun; and Baker, Kelsey, "Patterns and Outcomes in Urotrauma: An Analysis of Fatality Trends and Contributing Factors" (2025). Research Symposium. 119.
https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/somrs/2025/posters/119
Included in
Clinical Epidemiology Commons, Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Critical Care Commons, Epidemiology Commons, Quality Improvement Commons, Trauma Commons, Urology Commons
Patterns and Outcomes in Urotrauma: An Analysis of Fatality Trends and Contributing Factors
Background: Urotrauma, involving injuries to the kidneys, ureters, and bladder, represents a critical subset of trauma cases, significantly impacting patient morbidity and mortality. Renal and urogenital injuries account for 10–20% of abdominal trauma in adults and children. Understanding urotrauma's epidemiology is vital for improving care protocols and resource allocation. Despite its impact, data on injury mechanisms, intent, and care modalities specific to urotrauma remain limited. This study investigates patterns in injury mechanisms, intent, transport modalities, and facility transfer status to identify factors influencing patient outcomes and inform trauma care improvements.
Methods: A retrospective review analyzed 3,492 trauma cases, filtered for urotrauma using ICD-10 codes (S37.01–S37.23). Variables included intent (unintentional, self-harm, assault), transport modalities (fixed-wing, helicopter, ground ambulance), and facility transfer status (transfer vs. non-transfer). Statistical analyses assessed fatality rates and identified patterns among injury mechanisms, transport methods, and demographics.
Results: Self-harm cases had the highest fatality rate (21.01%), followed by legal/war-related injuries (13.01%) and undetermined cases (12.76%). Unintentional injuries, the majority of cases, had a lower fatality rate (2.95%). Fixed-wing and helicopter transports were associated with higher fatality rates (8.09% and 7.33%, respectively) compared to ground ambulances (3.26%). Walk-in and private/public vehicle transports reported no fatalities but were rare. Non-transfer cases experienced a higher fatality rate (3.78%) than transfer cases (2.63%), suggesting disparities in care access. Motor vehicle occupant injuries accounted for 39% of urotrauma cases. Combined with firearms, falls, motorcyclist, and pedestrian injuries, these mechanisms represented over 80% of cases. Passenger injuries in motor vehicle collisions were the most frequent. Young adults had a high absolute fatality count but lower rates due to better baseline health, while adults showed slightly higher fatality rates, though not statistically significant
Conclusions: This study provides a valuable snapshot into the patterns and outcomes of urotrauma which emphasizes the need for focused interventions to address high-risk scenarios - including self-harm and critical transport modalities. The higher fatality rates among non-transfer cases highlight potential disparities in access to specialized care, underscoring the importance of ensuring equitable access to trauma resources. Public health efforts such as targeting common mechanisms of injury -like improving motor vehicle safety and implementing firearm injury prevention programs could reduce the overall burden of urotrauma. These findings could serve as a foundation for refining trauma care protocols and advancing healthcare equity. Future research should explore resource disparities in trauma facilities and evaluate the impact of targeted interventions on improving patient outcomes.
