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Horse and Cattle-Related Trauma: A Retrospective Review of Injuries and Management in a Regional Queensland Hospital
Gabriella Savage1, Amanda Liesegang1, Jakob Campbell1
1General Surgery, Darling Downs Hospital and Health Service, Toowoomba, AUS.
Insights
Horse and cattle-related trauma is common in Australia. Most injuries involve falls or trampling, with soft tissue damage and fractures being frequent, though most patients do not require surgery.
Area of Science:
- Trauma and Injury Research
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Horse and cattle-related trauma frequently presents to Australian regional hospitals.
- The Darling Downs region in Queensland has a high incidence due to extensive cattle farming and equestrian activities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the local incidence and patterns of injuries from horse and cattle trauma.
- To analyze mechanisms of injury, types of injuries, and patient management outcomes over a three-year period.
Main Methods:
- A single-centre retrospective cohort study was conducted.
- Data from January 2018 to April 2021 included patients presenting with horse or cattle-related injuries.
- Primary outcomes assessed were trauma mechanism, injury type, and need for admission, surgery, or transfer.
Main Results:
- 1002 individuals were identified; 81% involved horses, 19% cattle.
- Common injury mechanisms included falling (horses) and trampling (cattle).
- Most frequent injuries were soft tissue trauma, upper limb fractures, and lower limb/rib fractures; 14% required admission, 13% surgery.
Conclusions:
- The study confirms a high volume of horse and cattle-related trauma in the region.
- While most cases are managed non-operatively, the frequency highlights the need for enhanced preventative strategies and safety advocacy.
Background:
Horse and cattle-related trauma is a common presentation to regional hospitals in Australia. We review local incidence and patterns of injuries relating to horse and cattle trauma over a three-year period at the Toowoomba Base Hospital within the Darling Downs region in Queensland, an area rich in cattle farming and equestrian recreation.
Methods:
We conducted a single-centre retrospective cohort study. The inclusion criteria were all patients presenting with injuries following cattle or horse-related incidents between January 2018 and April 2021. Primary outcomes were the mechanism of trauma, confirmed injuries, and the need for admission, operative intervention, or inter-hospital transfer.
Results:
A total of 1002 individuals (55% female; mean age 34 years; median Injury Severity Score (ISS) 2) were identified during the study period. Presentations relating to horses (81%) were more frequent than cattle (19%). The most common mechanism of injury was "falling" for horse incidents (68%) and "trampling" for cattle incidents (40%). Horse incidents often resulted in soft tissue injury (55%), upper limb fracture (19%), or lower limb fracture (9%). Cattle incidents often resulted in soft tissue injury (57%), upper limb fracture (15%), and rib fracture (15%). Overall, 14% required admission, 13% required operative intervention, and 1% required inter-hospital transfer.
Conclusions:
This local series demonstrates a high volume of cattle and horse-related trauma in our region. Whilst most patients are managed locally without operative intervention, the high frequency of injuries observed necessitates further development of preventative measures and safety advocacy.
