Traumatic fractures as a result of motor vehicle collisions in children and adolescents.

PURPOSE: We investigated the incidence and pattern of traumatic fractures resulting from motor vehicle collisions in a population of children and adolescents (≤18 years old) and to determine the risk factors for nerve injury.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 734 patients admitted to our university-affiliated hospitals from 2001 to 2010.

RESULTS

This study enrolled 498 male (67.8%) and 236 female (32.2%) patients aged 10.9 ± 5.3 years old. The most common injuries were to pedestrians, and the most common fracture sites (438, 59.7%) were to lower extremities (n = 441, 60.0%). A total of 201 (27.4%) patients experienced a nerve injury. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (P = 0.014), lower-extremity (P = 0.000), craniofacial (P = 0.000) and spinal (P = 0.000) fractures were risk factors for nerve injury. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that craniofacial [odds ratio (OR) = 9.003, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.159-15.711, P = 0.000)] and spinal (experiencedOR = 10.141, 95% CI: 4.649-22.121, P = 0.011) fractures were independent risk factors for nerve injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients in the 15- to 18-years old group and drivers had the largest sex ratio and highest frequencies of both nerve injury and early complications. Craniofacial and spinal fractures were independent risk factors for nerve injury. It is therefore important to focus on these risk factors to determine the presence of a nerve injury so that early, timely diagnosis and targeted treatment can be provided.