Analysis of Patients Coming to the Emergency Department with Snow Sports Injury

Abstract

Snow sports pose serious risks from minor soft tissue traumas to injuries of vital areas. For this reason, we think that the importance of the multidisciplinary approach of the emergency room doctors and to pay attention to the prehospital safety methods is absolutely necessary. The study included patients who applied to Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine between 01.11.2018 and 31.03.2019 with snow sports injuries. After snow sports traumas, the first application was in December and the most frequent application was in February with a rate of 37.3% (n=121). 1.06 patients applied daily and peaked with 4.32 patients daily in February. 56.2% (n=182) of the patients who presented to the emergency department with snow sports trauma were male and the mean age was 26.78±10.83 (6–65) were professionals. According to the frequency of traumas of the athletes, ski, snowboard and sled use depended. The patients most frequently applied with extremity traumas, followed by head, spine, and trunk traumas. X-rays were used in extremity traumas, while CT imaging was preferred in head and trunk traumas. 93% (n=301) of the patients were discharged from the emergency department, 25.3% (n=82) were consulted, 7% (n=23) were hospitalized and surgical treatment was performed for 3.7% (n=12) of the patients.