Citation

Letton RW, Chwals WJ. J. Trauma 1994; 37(2): 182-186.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston Salem, NC 27157-1095.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8064912

Abstract

Power mower trauma remains an alarmingly frequent cause of serious injury in young children. The patterns of mower-related injuries in children < 15 years old (n = 13) were compared with those of adults aged 15-64 (n = 16) and elderly victims > or = 65 years old (n = 6), who were similarly injured over the past 5 years. Children were more likely to be injured in accidents involving high-energy riding mowers. Of those children injured, 69% (9 of 13) were playing in the yard while 31% (4 of 13) were riding on the mower with a guardian when the injury occurred. Amputations in children were more frequent and more extensive than in the adults and included one forearm, two Symes, and three below-knee amputations. The need for transfusion was also significantly increased in children (62% vs. 6% adults, p < 0.005), who were also more likely to require prolonged hospitalization (11.8 days vs. 5 days in adults, p < 0.005). Aggressive efforts to increase public awareness regarding the cause and nature of power mower injuries are warranted to decrease the incidence of this debilitating but preventable trauma in young children.