Upper extremity injury patterns unique to utility terrain off-road vehicles

Area of Science:

• Orthopedic Surgery
• Trauma Surgery
• Recreational Vehicle Safety

Background:

• Utility terrain vehicles (UTVs) are increasingly popular recreational vehicles with safety features like roll cages.
• Injury patterns for UTVs are not well-documented in literature, unlike all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To characterize the distinct injury patterns associated with UTVs.
• To compare UTV-related injuries with all-terrain vehicle (ATV)-related injuries.
• To assess the impact of UTV injuries on patient outcomes and healthcare costs.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective chart review of UTV- and ATV-related injuries from 2018-2022 at a Level 1 trauma center.
• Statistical analyses (Chi-square, t-tests, Mann-Whitney U) were used to compare demographics, injury characteristics, and outcomes.
• Level IV Retrospective Cohort Study design.

Main Results:

• UTV rollovers resulted in significantly higher rates of severe, isolated upper extremity injuries, including mangled extremities (48.8%), open fractures (69.1%), vascular injuries (41%), and nerve injuries (45.1%).
• UTV injuries led to higher rates of replantation attempts (16.4%) and amputations (25.2%) compared to ATVs.
• Median hospital charges were substantially higher for UTV-related injuries ($115,900 vs. $66,300).

Conclusions:

• UTVs are associated with high-energy crush injuries, predominantly affecting a single upper extremity during rollovers.
• These injuries exhibit higher rates of mangled extremities, dysvascular limbs, and amputations.
• UTV-related trauma incurs significantly increased healthcare costs and leads to severe patient outcomes.