title: The influence of seatbelts on the types of operated brachial plexus lesions caused by car accidents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether there is a relationship between seatbelt use and type of brachial plexus injury seen in automobile accidents. Knowledge of such a relationship may help guide the surgical management of these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated 43 surgical patients with brachial plexus palsy caused by car accidents. We recorded sex, age, and type of injury for each case. We also obtained data regarding the patients' position in the car at the time of the accident and whether they were wearing a seatbelt.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We obtained data on 39 men and 4 women. Of the seatbelted patients, 24 (100%) had upper plexus palsy on the side where the seatbelt crossed the shoulder. Of those who were not wearing seatbelts, 17 (86%) had complete plexus injuries. We also found 1 upper and 1 lower plexus injury in the unbelted group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found a relationship between the type of brachial plexus injury sustained by the accident victim and the use and position of the seatbelt. Complete plexus injuries were more common in those who were not wearing seatbelts. We saw upper plexus injuries for those wearing seatbelts. Information about seatbelt use may be useful in clinical practice. When treating an unbelted car accident victim with a brachial plexus injury, it is reasonable to anticipate a more serious form of the injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prognostic IV.
authors: Department of Neurosurgery, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and Faculty Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors: Radek
authors: R
authors: Kaiser
authors: Pavel
authors: P
authors: Haninec
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000293:injuries*; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000209:etiology*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012622:Seat Belts / Q000009:adverse effects*