Shark-Related Injuries in the United States: A National Trauma Data Bank Analysis

Shark-related injuries (SRIs) are a dreaded, but rare, source of injury that have not been well described. The present study aims to examine the incidence, injuries, and outcomes of SRIs presenting to US trauma centers.

The National Trauma Data Bank was queried from 2015 to 2018 to identify SRIs using ICD-10 e-codes W56.41XA, W56.42XA, and W56.49XA. Descriptive analyses were conducted on patient demographics, injuries, hospital course, procedures, and outcomes.

Fifty-three patients were identified with a mechanism of injury that was shark-related. The median age was 29 years (range: 3-67) and median injury severity score was 5 (IQR: 3-10). The majority of patients (96%) were admitted to the hospital (median length of stay (LOS): 4.0 days, IQR: 3.0-8.0), 55% went directly to the operating room, and 53% required intensive care unit (ICU) admission (median ICU LOS: 4.5 days, IQR: 1.3-7.0). Extremity injuries were common: 47% suffered lower extremity injuries, 40% had upper extremity injuries, and 13% had both. The majority of patients underwent surgical procedures: 83% had soft tissue injuries requiring debridement, flap coverage, or skin grafting; 28% suffered neurovascular injuries (17% requiring nerve repair and 2% requiring arterial bypass); and 59% required orthopedic intervention. Six patients (11%) required amputation(s). All patients survived to discharge.

Although an exceedingly rare source of trauma, SRIs are frequently associated with devastating injuries. Given the severity of injuries and associated procedures required, these patients warrant referral to a trauma center capable of providing comprehensive care.