Effects of establishing a trauma center on the mortality rate among injured pediatric patients in Japan

IntroductionIt remains unclear whether trauma centers are effective for the treatment of injured pediatric patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate children’s mortality before and after the establishment a trauma center by using standard mortality ratios (SMR) and a modified observed-expected chart.MethodsThis was a single center, retrospective chart review study that included injured pediatric patients (age ResultsOur study included 143 subjects: 45 (31%) were preschoolers aged p p p p p p ConclusionsThe results of our study revealed that the centralization of pediatric injured pediatric patients in trauma centers improved the mortality rate in this population in Japan.