Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to examine the prevalence and outcomes of isolated long bone fractures following high-energy trauma among patients at Prince Sultan Military Medical City (PSMMC), Riyadh.
Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at PSMMC, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from September 2022 to November 2023. Data were collected from electronic health records of patients who underwent surgical management for isolated long bone fractures. Demographic factors, clinical profiles, surgical outcomes, and complications were analyzed.
Results: Among the participants (n = 484), the mean age was 43.64 years (SD = 22.10), with 68.6% males and 31.4% females. Military personnel comprised 27.1% of the cohort. Road traffic accidents (56.6%) and falls (29.0%) were the most common traumatic events. The average hospitalization duration was 4.2 days (SD = 10.42), with an average procedure duration of 1.65 hours (SD = 0.57). Obesity was prevalent (34.7%), and co-morbidities included hypertension (28.3%) and diabetes mellitus (25.6%). Intraoperative complications were minimal (1.9%), with postoperative complications including emergency room visits (6.6%) and chronic pain (11.8%). Radiological fusion was achieved in 87.0% of cases.
Conclusion: This study provided comprehensive insights into demographic characteristics, clinical profiles, surgical outcomes, and complications associated with isolated long bone fractures at PSMMC. Despite challenges such as postoperative pain and revision surgery, overall outcomes were favorable with effective surgical management and rehabilitation protocols. Optimizing treatment strategies tailored to patient demographics and co-morbidities is essential for enhancing outcomes and reducing complication rates in trauma patients.

Key words: Isolated long bone fractures, high-energy trauma, road traffic accidents, orthopedic outcomes, postoperative complications