Snowblower injuries to the hand

Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ). 1997 Dec;26(12):863-7.

Abstract

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 62 patients who sustained serious hand injuries caused by snowblowers between 1981 and 1990. Frequency of injuries to digits tended to correlate with length (i.e., middle, index, ring, or small finger or thumb). Damage to tendons did not seem to follow any particular pattern. The majority of victims sustained multiple digital involvement. Complete versus partial amputation followed the same length distribution as did injured digits. Most of the injuries occurred to the dominant hand. When patients were further questioned regarding the circumstances and events leading to their injury, a recurring pattern was found. Most patients described a wet, heavy snow having recently fallen. The majority of the patients who were injured by placing their hands into the exit chute admitted that they were aware the machine was running, but thought that they had a greater clearance to the rotating impeller blade.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Home / statistics & numerical data*
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Amputation, Traumatic / etiology
  • Amputation, Traumatic / surgery
  • Child
  • Equipment Safety
  • Female
  • Finger Injuries / diagnostic imaging
  • Finger Injuries / epidemiology*
  • Finger Injuries / etiology
  • Finger Injuries / surgery
  • Hand Injuries / diagnostic imaging
  • Hand Injuries / epidemiology
  • Hand Injuries / etiology
  • Household Articles / instrumentation*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Michigan / epidemiology
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Radiography
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Snow