@article{ref1,
title="Characteristics and costs of ladder fall injuries: a report from a single emergency center in Okayama",
journal="Acta medica Okayama",
year="2015",
author="Nosaka, Nobuyuki and Goda, Yu and Knaup, Emily and Tsukahara, Kohei and Yumoto, Tetsuya and Ugawa, Toyomu and Ujike, Yoshihito",
volume="69",
number="5",
pages="275-278",
abstract="We sought to identify the incidence, injury patterns, and financial burden of ladder fall injuries to provide a reference for reinforcing guidelines on the prevention of such injuries. We enrolled the patients who were injured in a ladder-related fall and required intensive care between April 2012 and March 2014 at Okayama University Hospital, a tertiary care hospital in Okayama City:9 patients injured in 7 stepladder falls and 2 straight ladder falls. The median patient age was 69 years, and 8 were males. Six falls occurred in non-occupational settings. Head injuries predominated, and the injury severity score ranged from 2 to 35 (mean＝21±12). At the time of discharge from the intensive care unit, one patient had died and 5 patients had some neurological disabilities. The case fatality rate was 11%. The total cost of care during the review period was ￥16,705,794, with a mean cost of ￥1,856,199 per patient. Ladder fall injuries are associated with a high rate of neurological sequelae and pose a financial burden on the health insurance system. A prevention education campaign targeting at older-aged males in non-occupational settings may be a worthwhile health service investment in this community.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0386-300X",
doi="",
url="http://dx.doi.org/"
}