title: [Fractures of the upper extremity in restrained automobile front seat passengers. Injury pattern and incidence in relation to accident mechanism].
abstract: During 1985 and 1995, 3,260 restrained car drivers (1,228 front seat passengers) were injured in 9,380 crashes involving cars. 179 (5.5%) (front seat passengers: 53, 4.3%) of those sustained fractures, of the arm. Among the 384 single fractures the hand (25%), wrist (23%) and forearm (23%) were affected most often, elbow (9%), upper arm (10%) and shoulder (10%) rather seldom. Half of the evaluated fractures of the long tubular bones were type A-fractures due to the AO classification and the other two quarters, respectively type B- and C-injuries in each case. 16% were open fractures. No considerable differences of the injury mechanism were found comparing drivers and front seat passengers. Since over half of all fractures resulted from a direct impact to the hand and/or arm, modifications are necessary in order to improve the energy absorption by means of padding the dashboard and the inner door. The use of side- and front-airbags could serve as an additional auxiliary equipment, as long as it doesn't induce a supplemental stress, through unfolding of the airbag.
authors.affiliation: Unfallchirurgische Klinik, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blauth
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Otte
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tscherne
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*