90% accident cases mishandled at site, say KGMU Lucknow experts

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 in Lucknow's King George’s Medical University (KGMU) conducted a public interaction session on Tuesday on how to handle trauma cases at accident sites.

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

Dr Misra also said paramedics or other people at an accident site should follow a simple practice to help trauma victims — the act of lifting an injured person on to a stretcher should be performed by four people, 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 1,000 reported road accidents per day. Reducing the number of accidents would also reduce fatalities and injuries, said Dr Abhishek Shukla, secretary-general of the Association of International Doctors.