Introduction: Admission to district general hospitals in England has undergone change in recent years due to both an aging population and the reconfiguration of the major trauma network throughout the United Kingdom.
Methods: We utilised a retrospective cohort study to analyse the epidemiology over a 12-month period at a district general hospital. Data was collected and divided into groups: upper limb, lower limb, vertebral disc disease, vertebral fracture, cellulitis without bone involvement and deep infection including metalwork.
Results: 2817 patients were admitted over the 12-month period. There were 893 upper limb fractures, 1511 lower limb fractures, 126 vertebral disc disease, 55 vertebral fractures, 108 cellulitis without bone involvement and 124 deep infections with 19 admissions not specified due to coding. AN average of 242 patients were admitted each month with the majority admitted during the summer months.
Conclusion: Although fractures make up the majority of the reason for which a person is admitted, there are also many other injuries/morbidities, which may necessitate admission. There is an increasing incidence of elderly osteoporotic fractures in females, which is balancing out the previously more common fractures seen in younger adults and adolescents.
Keywords: Admissions; epidemiology; fracture; infection; orthopaedics; trauma.