Citation

Segura-Sampedro JJ, Pineño-Flores C, García-Pérez JM, Jiménez-Morillas P, Morales-Soriano R, González-Argente X. Injury 2017; 48(7): 1371-1375.

Affiliation

Digestive Surgery Department, Hospital Universitario Son Espases, Ctra. Valldemosa, 07002 Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Malignant Peritoneal Disease Research Group, Health Research Institute of Balearic Islands (IdISBa), Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Electronic address: xavier.gonzalez@ssib.es.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.injury.2017.03.037

PMID

28377264

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Balconing is the term that has been given to consciously jumping into a swimming pool from a balcony or falling from height while climbing from one balcony to another in hotels during holidays METHOD: A 5 years retrospective study was conducted in a tertiary referral centre for severe trauma in the Balearic Islands, where balconing is endemic. Demographic data such as age, sex, nationality, personal records, alcohol or drug consumption, height of the fall and season of the year were collected. Scales of trauma severity and mortality rates were also included.

RESULTS: Most of the patients were males, 45 (97.83%), aged 24.20±5.98years, 28 of them of British nationality (60.87%). In 44 (95.65%) cases, alcohol consumption was present accompanied by other drugs in 17 (36.96%) cases. The mean height of the fall was approximately 3 floors. Only 6 (13.04%) were intentional jumpers whereas 40 (86.96%) fell while trying to reach another balcony.

CONCLUSION: Balconing is a new injury mechanism for alcohol-related falls from heights. Alcohol and other drug consumption are almost always involved, so balconing could be addressed as another consequence of alcohol abuse and binge drinking.

Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Alcohol; Balconing; Fall from height; Tourism; Trauma