Abdominal injuries associated with the use of seatbelts

The mandatory use of seatbelts has become commonplace in Canada, and such legislation was adopted by the province of British Columbia in 1977. This has provided us with an opportunity to study the effects of seatbelt restraints on accident victims, particularly concerning abdominal injuries. Five hundred sixty-two patient charts were reviewed during a 3-year period. Documented use of seatbelts was found in 126 cases. Thirty-six of these patients underwent laparotomy and form the basis of this study. Compared with previously reported figures for blunt abdominal trauma, there was a high incidence of gastrointestinal injuries (67 percent). In addition, associated lumbar spine injuries were found in a large proportion of patients (19 percent, p less than 0.005). We found an increased risk of spinal injury in patients wearing a lap versus a three-point belt.