Pumpkin carving knife injuries: National incidence and trends of hand injury.

INTRODUCTION: Seasonal media reports often describe the dangers of pumpkin carving, yet little data exists regarding the actual incidence of hand injuries resulting from pumpkin carving. The purpose of this study is to describe, quantify, and trend ED encounters associated with pumpkin-related knife injuries. METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried for pumpkin-related knife injuries from 2012 to 2021. Patient demographic and injury data was collected and analyzed to describe trends in incidence, patient demographics, and injury patterns associated with an ED encounter for a pumpkin-related knife injury. RESULTS: There were an estimated 20,579 (95% CI: 17,738-23,420) pumpkin-related knife injuries from 2012 to 2021. The incidence of pumpkin-related knife injuries remained stable over time (R2 = 0.195, P = 0.201). Hand injuries comprised 87.6% of all injuries, with the thumb (33.5%) and index finger (25.0%) most commonly affected. Men and women were injured at similar rates (51.6% vs 48.4%). The most common demographic injured were 10 to 19-year olds (31.5%) followed by children <10-years old (19.5%). Women ages 10 to 19-years old were the most commonly injured subgroup (10.0% of all injuries). Most ED presentations occurred on Saturdays (16.5%) or Sundays (23.3%). The large majority occurred during the months of October (83.5%) followed by November (11.2%), with almost half of all cases (45.6%) occurring in the last week of October. Peak incidence of injury occurred on October 30th. CONCLUSION: Pumpkin-related knife injuries are a preventable cause of hand injury with predictably high-incidence in fall months. Additionally, our data suggests further precautions should be taken to prevent injury in pediatric patients. Understanding at-risk populations in addition to implementing public safety initiatives and education on safe pumpkin-carving techniques could prevent serious injuries in the future.

National incidence and trends of bicycle injury.

Bicycle utilization continues to increase annually, and this trend was recently accelerated by the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. There is limited epidemiologic data, however, regarding the prevalence and nature of bicycle-related injuries. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to characterize trends in bicycle-related injuries. The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was queried for bicycle-related injuries from 2012 to 2021. Patient demographic and injury data were collected and analyzed to describe trends in incidence, patient demographics, and injury patterns associated with an emergency department encounter for a bicycle-related injury. There were an estimated 4,666,491 (95% confidence interval: 4,661,472-4,671,510) bicycle-related injuries from 2012 to 2021. The incidence of these injuries has significantly decreased over time (R = -0.983, R2 = 0.967, p < 0.001). However, the rate of injury in elderly patients increased over time. Injuries occurred most often during summer months (36%) and on weekend days (31.9%). Males and younger patients were more commonly injured. Head injuries were the most commonly affected body part among all age groups. Fractures were the most common injury type overall. Upper extremity injuries were more common than the lower extremity. Despite increased public bicycle utilization, there is a significant downtrend in bicycle-related injuries over the last decade. Injuries among elderly patients are becoming more common, who demonstrate a high rate of fracture and head injury. Fractures and head injuries were the most common injuries among all age groups, highlighting the importance of bicycle safety initiatives and helmet-wearing regardless of age.

High-Pressure Injection Injuries of the Hand in Community and Industrial Settings: Incidence and Trends.

BACKGROUND: High-pressure injection injuries to the hand have been reported in both the community and industrial setting with varying levels of severity. However, there are little epidemiologic data regarding the prevalence of pressure-injection injuries. The purpose of this study is thus to describe trends in emergency department (ED) encounters associated with pressure injection injuries, thereby informing potential investments in research and education for these injuries. METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS), a nationally representative database of all ED encounters, was queried for all high-pressure injection injuries from 2012 to 2021. Patient demographic and injury data were collected and analyzed to describe trends in incidence, patient demographics, and sequelae of hand injury associated with an ED encounter for a pressure injection-related injury. RESULTS: There were an estimated 15 307 (95% confidence interval: 15 051-15 562) high-pressure injection hand injuries from 2012 to 2021. Injuries were more frequent on weekends with the highest incidence on Sundays (18.9%) and Saturdays (18.0%) and during late spring and summer months (58.6%), with peak incidence occurring in May (16.8%). High-pressure paint injuries demonstrated a significantly higher rate of infection (23.7% of injuries) than pressure washer injuries (3.7%); however, pressure washer injuries were much more common overall (90% vs 10%). CONCLUSION: High-pressure injection injuries to the hand and upper extremity represent a particularly concerning injury mechanism. Prompt recognition and proper management are crucial for improving outcomes. People that utilize pressure washers for household projects should be aware of the risks associated with these machines and utilize proper safety techniques.