[Saw Injuries to the Hand - Epidemiological Aspects]

Background: No current studies regarding saw injuries have been published in German literature for quite some time. Despite awareness measures and safety instructions, saw accidents along with crush injuries are the most common causes of severe hand injuries. Approximately 12,000 circular saw injuries occur in Germany each year. Since professional providers have increased prices due to the rising energy costs and a wide range of different home appliance saws are available, increasing use has been made of portable circular saws in the do-it-yourself market sector. Patients and methods: At our hospital, we evaluated the data of 51 male patients with saw injuries. The present study investigated factors that may contribute to accidents involving saws. Results: 80 % of the accidents occurred at home, usually on weekends or after work. 51 % of the accidents happened while patients cut firewood. In 84 % of the cases, an electric table saw was used. The majority of severe hand injuries were sustained with lower priced saws. Injuries occurred most frequently between 11 a. m. and 2 p. m., primarily with injuries to bones, tendons, blood vessels and nerves. Replantable amputations or partial amputations occured rarely. In 37 % of the patients, anatomical reconstruction using osteosynthesis and/or microsurgical techniques was performed successfully. Conclusions: Saw injuries to the hand are sustained almost exclusively by men. Serious injuries from low-priced table saws and due to the lack of protective covering are predominant. Preventive measures and mandatory training could reduce the number of saw injuries in the years to come. The results obtained by us largely confirm the data from previous publications.