title: The care and cost of snowmobile-related injuries.
abstract: From January 1, 1991, through May 1, 1993, we identified 42 patients from our prospective computer-based trauma registry (38 males, four females; mean age, 25 years) who were hospitalized after snowmobile accidents. The primary reason for hospitalization varied: bone fracture (n = 18), blunt abdominal trauma (n = nine), closed head injury (n = five), and miscellaneous injuries (n = 10). The mean injury Severity Score was 9.3 (range, one to 43; median, nine). Twenty-six patients (62%) required emergent operation. Mean hospital stay was six days (range, one to 16 days). Thirteen patients had complications: seven had wound infection; three, ileus; and three, miscellaneous. One severely injured hypothermic patient died. Medical charges totaled $569,566 (mean, $16,227; range, $1,003 to $51,642). Snowmobiling causes significant accidental injury in young persons. The physical and financial costs of such injuries are high.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Farley
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Orchard
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Bannon
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Zietlow
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000191:economics*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000191:economics* / Q000601:surgery; D015541:Off-Road Motor Vehicles / Q000191:economics*