TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2021//
TI  - Injuries after forklift trucks accidents - injury patterns, therapy and outcome in the context of the statutory accident insurance
JO  - Zeitschrift für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie
A1  - Ull, Christopher
A1  - Ehlers, Hans
A1  - Yilmaz, Emre
A1  - Lotzien, Sebastian
A1  - Schildhauer, Thomas A.
A1  - Reinke, Charlotte
A1  - Kruppa, Christiane
SP  - ePub
EP  - ePub
VL  - ePub
IS  - ePub
N2  - INTRODUCTION: The use of forklift trucks during work has a high accident potential. The aim of this study is to describe injury patterns, treatment and outcome after forklift truck accidents in the context of the employers' liability insurance association. <br><br>METHODS: Retrospective data collection of all cases between 2004 and 2019. Excluded were patients < 18 years, without follow-up or with definitive external treatment. Trauma mechanism, injury patterns and distribution, treatment, complications, time of incapacity for work, return to work and impairment of earning capacity were recorded. <br><br>RESULTS: Of 109 patients with 110 injuries, 52.7% showed isolated injuries and 47.3% combined injuries, which affected the lower extremity in 95 cases. There were fractures in 85.5%, including 32.7% in open form. The mean length of stay was 29.1 days (range 1 - 129); an indication for surgery was seen in 80.9%. Surgical treatment required an average of 3 interventions, with significantly more operations for soft tissue closure than for the fractures (p ≤ 0.023). Amputations were necessary in 8 cases; complications occurred in 29.1%. Return to work was possible in 90%, after a mean period of incapacity for work of 33.6 weeks. A total of 40% showed a pensionable impairment of earning capacity. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Accidents with forklift trucks result in complex lower extremities injuries with the need of multi-stage treatment and show relatively high complication rates. A return to work is often possible after a long period of convalescence, and a pensionable impairment of earning capacity often persists.<p />  <p>Language: de</p>
LA  - de
SN  - 1864-6697
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1055/a-1402-1649
ID  - ref1
ER  -