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Pediatric hand injuries due to exercise bicycles
M S Lehrer1, D J Bozentka, M T Partington
1University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, USA.
Methods:
This is a 5-year retrospective review of hand injuries caused by exercise bicycles among 34 children.
Results:
Mean age was 3 years and 5 months. Accidents were caused most commonly by impingement of the fingers between the chain and sprocket wheel (77%), but injuries caused by spinning wheel spokes (23%) were generally more severe. Injuries were usually of the avulsion type and ranged in severity from lacerations (43%) to fractures (19%) to amputations (38%). The central digits (87%) were involved more frequently than the border digits (13%). Replantation was possible for 33% of the amputated digits, with 50% of the fingers surviving.
Conclusion:
The avulsive nature of these injuries should be taken into consideration when attempting replantation. Increased community awareness and equipment safety modifications are needed to eliminate this preventable problem.