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Head Injuries in Skiers and Snowboarders in British Columbia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2017

Stephen Hentschel ,
Walter Hader  and
Michael Boyd
Stephen Hentschel*
Affiliation:
Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Center, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Walter Hader
Affiliation:
Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Center, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Michael Boyd
Affiliation:
Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Hospital and Health Sciences Center, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
*
Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery, 3rd Floor, 910 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4E3 Canada
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Abstract:

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Background:

At the Vancouver General Hospital Neurosurgical Service there have been a significant number of seriously brain injured snowboarders, seemingly out of proportion to the number of skiers. The purpose of this study was to determine whether snowboarders suffered more serious head injuries than skiers in the Vancouver catchment area.

Methods:

The British Columbia Trauma Registry was searched for patients incurring head injuries while skiing or snowboarding on British Columbia mountains during the period from January 1992 to December 1997. Patients were included if they were admitted to hospital and underwent neurosurgical consultation.

Results:

A total of 40 skiers and 14 snowboarders met the above criteria. Of the skiers, 15% sustained a severe head injury by Glasgow Coma Score, another 30% sustaining moderate head injuries, while 29% of snowboarders had a severe injury and 36% a moderate injury. A concussion was present in 60% of the skiers and 21% of the snowboarders. Snowboarders suffered an intracranial hemorrhage in 71% of the cases compared to 28% of the skiers. A craniotomy was performed acutely in 10% of skiers and in 29% of snowboarders. Three deaths occurred as a direct result of head injury, one while snowboarding. All but one of the surviving skiers were able to return home, whereas four of 13 surviving snowboarders required additional inpatient rehabilitation or transfer to another acute hospital for ongoing care.

Conclusions:

Snowboarders suffer more significant head injuries compared to skiers in this series and are much more likely than skiers to require an intracranial procedure. In our opinion, this indicates that additional safety measures, in particular the use of mandatory helmets, should be considered by ski areas and their patrons.

Résumé:

RÉSUMÉ:Introduction:

Le service de neurochirurgie du Vancouver General Hospital a reçu un nombre adeptes de la planche à neige souffrant de blessures sérieuses à la tête hors de proportion avec celui des skieurs présentant de telles blessures. Le but de cette étude était de déterminer si les adeptes de la planche à neige avaient plus de blessures sérieuses à la tête que les skieurs dans la région desservie par Vancouver.

Méthodes:

Le registre des traumatismes de la Colombie-Britannique a été consulté pour identifier les patients qui avaient subi des blessures à la tête en ski ou en planche à neige dans les centres de sports d'hiver de la Colombie-Britannique pendant la période de janvier 1992 à décembre 1997. Les patients étaient inclus dans l'étude s'ils étaient admis à l'hôpital et avaient eu une consultation en neurochirurgie.

Résultats:

Au total, 40 skieurs et 14 adeptes de la planche à neige rencontraient les critères décrits ci-haut. Parmi les skieurs, 15% avaient subi une blessure sévère à la tête selon le score GCS et 30% avaient subi une blessure modérée, par rapport à 29% des adeptes de la planche à neige qui avaient subi des blessures sévères et 36% des blessures modérées. 60% des skieurs et 21% des adeptes de la planche à neige avaient subi une commotion cérébrale. Les adeptes de la planche à neige avaient subi une hémorragie intracrânienne dans 71% des cas par rapport à 28% des skieurs. Une crâniotomie a été effectuée en urgence chez 10% des skieurs et 29% des adeptes de la planche à neige. Trois patients sont décédés de leurs blessures à la tête, dont un adepte de la planche à neige. Tous sauf un des skieurs survivants ont pu retourner chez eux, alors que quatre des 13 adeptes de la planche à neige survivants ont eu besoin de réhabilitation additionnelle pendant leur séjour à l'hôpital ou d'un transfert à un autre hôpital de soins aigus.

Conclusions:

Dans cette série de cas, Les adeptes de la planche à neige ont subi plus de blessures sévères à la tête que les skieurs et sont plus susceptibles que les skieurs d'avoir besoin d'une intervention intracrânienne. À notre avis, ceci indique que des mesures de sécurité additionnelles, surtout quant au port obligatoire du casque, devraient être considérées par les centres de ski et leurs clients.

Type
Original Article
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 28 , Issue 1 , February 2001 , pp. 42 - 46
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2001

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