Methods: This study is a retrospective review of these 218 consecutive pediatric patients from trauma registry data and their medical records.
Results: Two hundred eighteen patients between the ages of 2 years and 16 years presented during the study period. Boys outnumbered girls three to one. The average Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 8.76, the average Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) was 14.4, and the average Trauma Score (TS) was 15.2. The most common injuries were orthopedic followed by head and facial injuries. The majority of the children did not were helmets, and their injuries resulted in an average hospital length of stay of 4.3 days. Thirty-eight percent of the children required surgery. There were a total of four deaths for a mortality rate of 1.8 % . The estimated total hospitalization cost for the 218 patients was $1,918,400.00.
Conclusions: All-terrain vehicle-related trauma remains an ongoing safety concern facing society today. Every physician who cares for children should address this important issue when talking to children and parents about safety issues and injury prevention.