Motorized dirt bike injuries in children.

BACKGROUND: The number of dirt bike injuries in children in the United States is increasing and poses a public health problem. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to identify the imaging patterns of dirt bike injuries in children and associations with morbidity and mortality. METHODS: The study included 85 children (83 boys, 2 girls) <18 year of age (mean age 12.3 years, standard deviation 3 years) with dirt bike injury treated at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Imaging studies and hospital medical records were reviewed. Outcomes were classified into the following categories: short-term disability, long-term disability or no follow-up available. Imaging studies were reviewed for head, torso, and extremity injuries. One-tailed z test for two proportions was used to determine significant differences between various proportions. Chi-square test with Yates correction was used to determine the significance of long-term disability with injury type. RESULTS: Long bone fractures were the most common injuries. Lower extremity fractures accounted for 79% of extremity fractures and were significantly more common than upper extremity fractures (p = 0.001). Head injuries included fractures (n = 9), brain contusion (n = 5), and meningeal hemorrhage (n = 2). Head injury was associated with long-term disability (p < 0.0001). All torso injuries were solitary. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term disability was associated with head injuries but not with torso or extremity injuries. Lower extremity injuries were significantly more common than upper extremity injuries. Torso solid organ injuries were uniformly solitary.

Imaging findings in 512 children following all-terrain vehicle injuries.

BACKGROUND: Injuries related to all-terrain vehicle (ATV) use by children have increased in recent years, and the pattern of these injuries is not well known among radiologists. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to identify different radiologically diagnosed injuries in children suffering ATV-related trauma and determine associations among various injuries as well as between injuries and outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 512 consecutive children suffering from ATV injuries treated at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. All imaging studies were reviewed and correlated with injury frequency and outcome using multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Head injuries occurred in 244 children (48%) and in five of six deaths. Calvarial skull fractures occurred in 104 children and were associated with brain, subdural and epidural injuries. Brain and orbit injuries were associated with long-term disability. A total of 227 extremity fractures were present in 172 children (34%). The femur was the most commonly fractured bone. Nine children had partial foot amputations. Multiorgan injuries occurred in nearly half of the 97 children with torso injuries. Determinants for long-term disability or death were head injuries (odds ratio 3.4) and extremity fractures (odds ratio 3.3). CONCLUSION: Head and extremity injuries are the two most common injuries in children suffering ATV injuries and are associated with long-term disability. ATV use by children is dangerous and is a significant threat to child safety.