[Das unterschätzte Verletzungsrisiko beim Freizeitschlittenfahren].

Abstract

BACKGROUND\nSledding is generally considered to be a\xa0relatively harmless winter leisure activity. The increased incidence of injuries, some of them severe, in our emergency department in the catchment area of several sledding slopes prompted an analysis of this patient population with respect to frequency and severity of injuries.\n\n\nPATIENTS AND METHODS\nBased on the hospital documentation system, a\xa0retrospective evaluation of all emergency department visits in the winters 2016-2019 was performed. The words sled , sledge , bob , sledding , sleighing , sledging were used as keywords, and the recorded data were analyzed with respect to outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, inpatient treatment days, treatment days in the intensive care unit, number of necessary operations, injury patterns, and injury severity.\n\n\nRESULTS\nA\xa0total of 175 injured patients were recorded over the 3‑year period. In 94\xa0patients (54%) the injury was classified as mild, 70\xa0patients (40%) required inpatient treatment with an average length of stay of 8\xa0days, resulting in a\xa0total of 590 inpatient treatment days. Surgical treatment was given to 49\xa0(28%) of the injured with a\xa0total of 66\xa0operations, 81\xa0patients suffered from severe injuries up to multiple trauma with an injury severity score (ISS) of\xa034.\n\n\nDISCUSSION\nThe study demonstrates that sledding has a\xa0significantly higher injury potential than generally assumed and that the resulting costs and consequences of accidents are relevant. Especially on the designated sledge slopes, an increase in safety standards could be achieved through appropriate measures and rules.