Citation

Dhar SA, Afzal S, Butt MF, Farooq M, Mir MR, Sultan A, Wani MI, Wani ZA. Injury 2008; 39(2): 249-255.

Affiliation

Hospital for Bone and Joint surgery, Barzullah, Srinagar, Kashmir 190005, India.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.injury.2007.07.028

PMID

18093590

Abstract

Interaction between humans and wild animals has increased in recent times, because of overlap of habitats. A proportion of this interaction is violent. Most of the literature describing the injuries sustained by humans in such contact pertains to the involvement of soft tissues. Trauma to bones and joints is only witnessed when larger animals attack humans. We studied the pattern of orthopaedic injuries over a period of 2 years in a series of 32 cases presenting to our hospital with a history of being attacked by the Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus). This paper also documents the complications and challenges involved in managing these injuries. We suggest that orthopaedic traumatologists need to be prepared to deal with such cases in areas where interaction between humans and large wild animals is manifest.

Language: en