title: Musculoskeletal trauma: the baseball bat.
abstract: Between July 1987 and December 1990 in Washington, DC, 116 patients sustained 146 fractures and seven dislocations due to an assault with a baseball bat. The ulna was the most common site of trauma (61 fractures), followed by the hand (27 injuries) and the radius (14 injuries). Forty-two of the 146 fractures were significantly displaced and required open reduction and internal fixation to restore satisfactory alignment. Twenty-nine of the 146 fractures were open fractures. Treatment protocol for open fractures consisted of irrigation and debridement, antibiotic therapy, and bone stabilization with either internal or external fixation, or casting. Recognition of the severity of the soft tissue and bone damage is important in the management of musculoskeletal trauma secondary to the baseball bat.
authors.affiliation: Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, District of Columbia General Hospital, Washington.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Bryant
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Greenfield
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Martin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001484:Baseball; D004219:District of Columbia; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D011859:Radiography; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology