Citation

Melmer PD, Taylor R, Muertos K, Sciarretta JD. Am. J. Surg. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Grand Strand Medical Center, 809 82nd Parkway, Myrtle Beach, SC, 29572, USA. Electronic address: jason.d.sciarretta@emory.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.02.051

PMID

32172926

Abstract

Fatal lower level falls commonly result from ladder fall injuries (LFIs), an often-avoidable injury. We hypothesized that older patients' injury severity differs from younger patients falling from the same mechanism with fall height determining overall morbidity. A retrospective review was completed of all traumatic LFIs during a 6-year period resulting in 178 patients. The mean LFI height was 10.9 ± 6.0 feet, the majority being male (87%), with a mean age of 50.7 ± 16.6 years. The mean ISS was 7.7 ± 7.0 (range, 1-38), 23.6% sustaining > 1 injury. Age inversely correlated with the mean LFI height with patients ≥66 years falling from significantly lower heights (12.3 ft For age group 18-45 y; 10.4 ft vs 9.0 ft (p = 0.003) and having longer LOS (7.3 vs 3.8 days, P = 0.011). No difference in ventilator requirement/days, blood product requirements, or mortality among age groups was observed. Geriatric patients sustain similar injury patterns at lower height levels compared to all ages. Injury prevention programs are necessary to reduce the incidence of a commonly preventable injury.

Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

Elderly; Fall from heights; Falls; Geriatrics; Injury prevention; Ladder injury