90 per cent cases mishandled at accident site: Medical experts

Lucknow, Oct 18 (IANS) Up to 90 per cent of trauma cases are initially mishandled at accident scenes, worsening injuries and prolonging treatment, say medical experts.

The Department of Trauma Surgery, King George’s Medical University (KGMU), conducted a public interaction session on Tuesday on how to handle trauma cases at accident sites.

Professor Samir Misra, senior faculty in the Department of Trauma Surgery, said, “If an injured person receives proper assistance at the accident site, we can stop bleeding, prevent further bone damage, and ensure a speedy recovery. Unfortunately, this often does not happen, and about 90 per cent of accident cases result in worsened injuries.”

Dr Misra also said that paramedics or other people at the accident should follow a simple practice to help trauma victims, i.e. when lifting an injured person on to a stretcher it should be done by four people. This is in order to ensure that there is no added pressure on the spine.

Prof Sandip Tiwari, Head of Trauma Surgery, underlined the importance of not using mobile phones while driving, as it would reduce road accidents. “Using a mobile phone while driving is an invitation to fatal accidents,” he said.

According to the report ‘Road Accidents in India-2021’, there are more than one thousand reported road accidents per day. Reducing the number of accidents would also reduce fatalities and injuries, said Dr Abhishek Shukla, the secretary-general of the Association of International Doctors.