Author(s)

Georges Toha Kuyigwa^1,2, Canikire Musho³, Léon Mukengeshai Mubenga^1,2, Fabrice Gulimwentuga Cikomola^1,2, Paul Mungu Akonkwa Budema^1,2, Gauthier Bahizire Murhula^1,2, Longombe Ona Ahuka⁴

¹Département de Chirurgie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Catholique de Bukavu (UCB), Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
²Hôpital Provincial Général de Référence de Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
³Hopital Général de Référence de Katana, Katana, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
⁴Département de Chirurgie, Faculté de Médecine, Université de Kisangani, Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Background: Trauma is major public health problem in developing countries where they are associated with many factors, mainly such as lack of road safety, poverty and inadequate urban planning. We aim to highlight the epidemiology of the fractures limbs bones in a rural area where people live in a context of low economy, low education and insecurity. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective study involving all patients admitted for fracture in the surgical department of FOMULAC-KATANA General Reference Hospital from 1^st January 2011 to 31^st December 2014. The patients whose medical records were not completed were excluded. Results: Among 136 patients included in our study, 140 bones limbs were registered. Most of them (60.1%) were aged between 15 - 44 years and the average age is 30, 1 year. Male predominance is noticed (72.8%) with a male/female ratio of 2.7/1, and informal professionals are the most found in our patients (67.6%). The main circumstances of fracture occurrence are, respectively, road traffic accidents (57.4%), falls (22.3%) and firearms (10.3%). The leg bones (33.6%) and forearm bones (20%) are the most concerned bones. Open fractures are recorded in 40.7% of patients. The supporting treatment is mainly orthopedic (64.5%) but also surgical (35.5). The mortality rate is 3.6%. Conclusion: The fractures of the limbs bones in Katana General Reference Hospital mainly affect young male which is informal professional. The road traffic accidents are the first circumstance leading to fractures followed by falls. The leg bones are the most fractured body part and fractures are commonly opened.

Conservative Treatment, Fracture, Rural Post-Conflict, Young Men

Kuyigwa, G. , Musho, C. , Mubenga, L. , Cikomola, F. , Budema, P. , Murhula, G. and Ahuka, L. (2023) Fracture of Limbs Bones in a Rural and Post Conflict Health Zone. Open Journal of Orthopedics, 13, 97-107. doi: 10.4236/ojo.2023.133011.