"Beaned": A 5-Year Analysis of Baseball-Related Injuries of the Face.
OBJECTIVE
Baseball remains one of the most popular and safest games played by children and adults in America and worldwide. Rules and equipment changes have continued to make the game safer. For youth leagues, pitching restrictions, safety balls, helmets, and face mask equipment continue to make the game safer. With increased utilization of safety equipment, the objective was to analyze recent trends in baseball-related facial injuries.


METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of a national database.


METHODS
The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System was searched for baseball-related facial injuries with analysis of incidence, age, and sex and specific injury diagnoses, mechanisms, and facial locations.


RESULTS
From 2009 to 2013, there were 5270 cases entries, or 187,533 estimated emergency department (ED) visits, due to baseball-related facial injuries. During this time, there was a significant decline in the incidence of ED visits (P = .014). Inclusion criteria were met by 3208 visits. The majority of injuries occurred in patients ≤18 years old (81.5%). The most common injury was laceration (33.2%), followed by contusion (29.7%) and fracture (26.9%), while the most common injury site on the face was the nose (24.9%). The injuries were most commonly due to impact from a baseball (70%) or a bat (12.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
The overall incidence of ED visits due to baseball-related facial injuries has decreased over the past 5 years, concurrent with increased societal use of protective equipment. Nonetheless, these injuries remain a common source for ED visits, and a continued effort to utilize safety measures should be made, particularly in youth leagues.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
Eric T
ET
Carniol
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
Kevin
K
Shaigany
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Peter F
PF
Svider
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Adam J
AJ
Folbe
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Giancarlo F
GF
Zuliani
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, Neurological Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA.
Soly
S
Baredes
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA Center for Skull Base and Pituitary Surgery, Neurological Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, New Jersey, USA jean.anderson.eloy@gmail.com.
Jean Anderson
JA
Eloy
D000293:Adolescent; D001484:Baseball / Q000293:injuries*; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005151:Facial Injuries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
National Electronic Injury Surveillance System; baseball-related facial injury; bat; consumer product; facial fracture; trauma