Citation

Mennen U. S. Afr. Med. J. 1981; 59(22): 788-790.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, South African Medical Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7233291

Abstract

A highly significant feature emerged from a study of patients with spinal injuries from diving treated at the H.F. Verwoerd Hospital and the Conradie Hospital, namely an area specificity with regard to cause of injury, circumstances and social habits. The typical patient presenting with spinal injuries from diving is a young male, the injury often being the result of the facing of a 'challenge' at a social gathering where alcohol consumption played an important role. The injurious dive is usually not a first attempt and is often into a pool of some sort or at a location well known to the patient. The forehead or vertex may strike either the bottom of the pool, a rock, or a sandbank, without any additional injuries, e.g. to the hands. The radiographs reveal a flexion-axial compression injury to the C4-C6 region of the spine, leaving the majority of such patients in a state of permanent and complete tetraplegia. Although many of these catastrophes are truly accidental, a large number of patients admit to a careless attitude which was the direct cause of their misfortune.

Language: en