Society of Black Academic Surgeons
Equine-related injury: a retrospective analysis of outcomes over a 10-year period

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Abstract

Background

Morbidity and financial loss caused by equine-related injuries may be significant. The purposes of this study were to determine the patterns of equine-related injury and the impact on outcomes.

Methods

A 10-year retrospective review of equine-related injuries was performed. Age, gender, mechanism, injury severity score, Glasgow Coma Score, length of stay, surgical interventions, and mortality were assessed.

Results

Of 80 emergency department evaluations, 76 patients were admitted and form the basis of this study. The most frequent mechanism of injury was fall (68%), followed by crush injuries (15%), kicks (8%), and trampling (5%). Musculoskeletal injuries were most common (64%). Thirty-eight (50%) patients required surgical intervention. Thirty-seven (52%) patients were discharged home; 34% required outpatient physical therapy, and 14% required inpatient rehabilitation. The mortality rate was 7%.

Conclusions

Equine-related injuries resulted in significant morbidity; most victims required outpatient or inpatient rehabilitation. The use of preventive strategies may minimize mortality and reduce the financial impact of postinjury morbidity.

Section snippets

Methods

The study design was reviewed and approved by the University of Cincinnati Institutional Review Board. Patients with equine-related injuries were identified by the University Hospital Regional Trauma Center Trauma Registry Data Base. A retrospective review of the medical records of these patients from July 1993 to July 2004 was performed. Demographic data collected and analyzed included age, gender, injury severity score (ISS), Glasgow Coma Score, hospital length of stay, surgical

Results

During the 10-year study period, 80 adult patients with equine-related injuries were evaluated by the trauma service at the University of Cincinnati trauma center. Four patients (5%) were discharged home directly from the emergency department. The remaining 76 patients were admitted to the hospital and form the basis of this study. Their demographics are displayed in Table 1. There were an equal number of male and female patients, and the mean age at presentation was 42 ± 1 years (range, 15–81

Comments

The results from this 10-year retrospective review indicate that although mortality from equine-related injury is low, more than half of the injured patients required rehabilitation after discharge from the acute-care facility. Moreover, except for gender predilection, mortality and injury patterns were similar to nationally reported data over the same time period [5]. Importantly, the 3 body regions identified to be most at risk for injury after equine-related activities were the

Summary

Equine-related trauma is associated with high morbidity secondary to the prevalence of musculoskeletal fractures and closed head injuries. As a direct result of the injuries sustained, patients presenting with equine-related trauma are likely to require rehabilitation after discharge from the acute-care facility. Further investigation is necessary to identify high-risk individuals and implement preventative strategies that may minimize annual health care expenditures incurred from

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