Spectrum of paediatric orthopaedic injuries in Patient attending emergency department of Gandaki Medical College of Pokhara, Nepal

Abstract

Background: Children are vulnerable to musculoskeletal injuries both at home and on the street for various reasons. Morbidity and disabilities resulting from these, mostly preventable, injuries, make them a burden to their families and society. The role of various factors associated with injuries is often not documented.

Methods: This prospective, cross sectional study was done on 80 children aged below 16 years with musculoskeletal trauma, data were collected and analysis was done using Microsoft excel and frequency table. The various modes of injuries, place of injuries, pattern of injuries and regional distribution of injuries were analyzed.

Results: One in every four to five patient was a child below 16 years of age. Boys were injured more than girls. Injuries, especially fractures, were most common in the extremities, the upper limb more commonly injured than the lower limb. Most of the injuries occurred at home. The most common mode of injuries was falls that happened while playing both within and outside the home, followed by road traffic accidents. Most injuries occurred during daytime.

Conclusions: Many injuries in children were found to be preventable. Small interventions and modification while constructing homes and surroundings can contribute tremendously to injury prevention and control in children. Parental awareness about the various modes of injury, role of supervised playing and their responsibility towards injury prevention can play a key role in reducing the morbidity associated with childhood fractures.