Citation

Karaman I, Karaman A, Aslan MK, Erdoğan D, Cavuşoğlu YH, Tütün O. Surg. Today 2009; 39(7): 572-574.

Affiliation

Department of Pediatric Surgery, Dr. Sami Ulus Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2009, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s00595-008-3931-3

PMID

19562443

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate childhood bicycle handlebar injuries. METHODS: We evaluated retrospectively 14 patients who presented with bicycle handlebar injuries within a 3-year period. Bicycle injuries not caused by the handlebar were excluded. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 8.8 +/- 2 years (range, 5-12 years) and 79% were boys. The injuries comprised gastrointestinal perforation in 21%, traumatic abdominal hernia in 21%, and spleen laceration in 14%. The three children with intestinal perforation and the one with a penetrating abdominal injury underwent surgery, whereas the others were treated medically. An isolated traumatic abdominal hernia resolved spontaneously. There was no mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Although bicycle handlebar injuries occur at relatively low speeds, the transfer of energy from the end of the handlebar, with a small cross-sectional area, to a small field leads to intra-abdominal injuries that are more severe than predicted. Thus, bicycle handlebar injuries should be considered as a serious intra-abdominal injury until proven otherwise.

Language: en