• D C Obalum.
• Department of Surgery, Havana Specialist Hospital, Lagos.
• Nig Q J Hosp Med. 2008 Jul 1; 18 (3): 125-7.

BackgroundTrauma remains one of the leading causes of death globally. It also leads to short and long term morbidity as well as enormous economic loss, especially for a developing economy such as Nigeria.ObjectiveTo describe the pattern and outcome of musculoskeletal injuries.MethodThis is a 5-year retrospective study of musculoskeletal injuries seen in Havana Specialist Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. A private hospital servicing mainly families of the upper and middle economic class.ResultsOne thousand, one hundred and twenty-one cases were studied. Males accounted for 730 (65.1%). Ages 3 weeks to 78 years were affected with a mean of 34 years and peak incidence in the 21-30 years group. Road traffic accident caused 959(85.5%) of the injuries, followed by falls 76 (6.8%) and gunshots 52 (4.6%). Four hundred and eighty-three (50.4%) of the RTA were motorcycle related. Lower limbs alone were affected in 228 patients (20.3%), upper limbs in 74 (6.6%), head and neck in 41 (3.7%). Two hundred and fifty-eight patients (23.0%) had two hundred and sixty-six fractures. Five hundred and eight patients (45.3%) had multiple injuries. Twenty-five patients (2.2%) died.ConclusionMusculoskeletal injuries are mostly caused by road traffic accidents and affects mainly young adult males. Motorcycle related incidents constitute majority of road traffic accidents.

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