Kite String or Manja Cut Injury: A New Culprit

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Public Health

Background:

• Kite string injuries, specifically from Chinese manja, are a growing emergency in Maharashtra, peaking in January.
• These injuries frequently impact the neck, face, hands, and legs, especially in motorcyclists due to low visibility of the kite string.
• The use of Chinese or nylon manja poses a significant risk beyond traditional kite flying activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the incidence and characteristics of kite string injuries.
• To highlight the dangers associated with Chinese manja.
• To raise awareness about the severe consequences of these injuries.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study of 10 cases of manja cut injuries.
• Data collected from patients presenting to a tertiary care center in Nagpur over two years.

Main Results:

• Ten patients, all male, with a mean age of 25, sustained kite string injuries.
• The majority of injuries occurred in Zone 2 of the hand.
• The study period spanned two years.

Conclusions:

• Traditional kite flying, especially with Chinese manja, leads to severe injuries affecting individuals, bystanders, animals, and birds.
• The deceptive appearance of manja can mask the severity of injuries.
• Urgent attention is needed to address the public health threat posed by dangerous kite strings.