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Analysis of Pediatric Dog Bite Injuries at a Level 1 Trauma Center Over 10 Years
Katherine D Reuter Muñoz1, Lauren E Powell1, Emily S Andersen2
1From the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.
Insights
Pediatric dog bites cause significant morbidity and financial burden, with 25% of children requiring advanced interventions. Safety education on animal interaction is crucial to prevent these injuries.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Trauma Surgery
- Public Health
Background:
- Dog bite injuries represent a significant, preventable cause of morbidity and healthcare costs in children.
- This study focuses on characterizing the patient and healthcare burden of pediatric dog bites at a Level 1 trauma center.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the patient demographics, injury characteristics, management strategies, outcomes, and financial implications of dog bite injuries in pediatric patients.
- To identify factors influencing the healthcare burden associated with pediatric dog bites.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 356 pediatric patients treated for dog bites at a specific trauma center between 2007 and 2017.
- Analysis of demographic data, injury specifics, treatment protocols, patient outcomes, and associated hospital charges.
Main Results:
- The majority of injuries occurred in males aged 6-12, often from household dogs, with pit bulls being the most common breed implicated.
- Bites to the head/face were more frequent in infants and younger children. While most injuries were managed with primary repair, 25% required advanced reconstructive techniques.
- Average hospital charges were $8830.70 per patient, with higher costs in younger age groups. Insurance status impacted treatment decisions and interventions.
Conclusions:
- While many pediatric dog bites heal with initial emergency department management, a significant portion necessitates further interventions.
- Dog bite injuries impose a substantial and potentially avoidable personal and financial burden on families.
- Findings underscore the need for enhanced safety education regarding animal care, behavior, and child-animal interactions to mitigate these injuries.
Background:
Dog bite injuries cause significant preventable patient morbidity and health care expenditure in children. This study aimed to characterize the patient and healthcare burden related to pediatric dog bite injuries at a level 1 trauma center.
Methods:
This is a retrospective review of 356 pediatric patients who presented to Virginia Commonwealth University Pediatric Emergency Department between July 2007 and August 2017 after sustaining dog bite injuries. Demographic information, injury details, management, outcomes, and financial information were analyzed.
Results:
Most pediatric dog bite injuries afflicted male children (55.6%), ages 6 to 12 years (45.7%), by a household dog (36.2%). The most common offending breed was a pit bull or pit bull mix (53.0%). Infants and grade schoolers were more likely to sustain bites to the head/face (P = 0.001). Usual management consisted of primary repair (75.9%), whereas approximately 25% of the patients required advanced reconstructive techniques. Most patients healed uneventfully, but prolonged antibiotics, additional wound care, or procedures were necessary in 8.4% of the patients. Hospital charges per patient averaged US $8830.70 and tended to be higher in the younger age groups. Insurance status was statistically associated with use of conscious sedation, surgical consult placement, and surgical repair.
Conclusions:
Although most pediatric dog bite injuries in this study healed uneventfully from primary management in the emergency department, 25% required additional interventions. Furthermore, patient care for these injuries was associated with significant but potentially avoidable personal and financial burden to families. Our data reflect a need for safety education on animal care, behavior, and interaction.
