Severe brachial plexus injury as a result of snowmobiling: a case series.

BACKGROUND

Documented snowmobile-related fatalities and injuries have increased; however, reports of peripheral nerve injuries are rare.

METHODS

This case series describes a cluster of severe disabling brachial plexus injuries incurred during snowmobiling. Medical record abstraction was used to identify relevant patient and event characteristics.

RESULTS

All study patients were younger male snowmobile drivers. All incidents occurred at speeds in excess of 40 mph. Blood alcohol concentrations exceeded legal intoxication limits in most cases. Complete damage of the brachial plexus occurred in four of the six patients; severe disability occurred in all cases. Five of the six patients sustained associated orthopedic shoulder complex injuries.

CONCLUSION

This first report of severe peripheral nerve damage may signal the advent of more severe nonfatal snowmobile-related injuries that mimic motorcycle-related injuries, because the maximum attainable speeds of snowmobiles have increased. Surveillance of snowmobile-related injuries is warranted to identify the full spectrum of snowmobile injuries and recommend public safety measures.