Epidemiology of Hand Injuries in Children Presenting to an Orthopedic Trauma Center in Southeast of Iran

Hand injuries are among the most common childhood injuries. No study has been performed regarding the epidemiology of hand injuries in the pediatric population of Iran. This study aimed to examine the epidemiology of hand injuries among children in southeast of Iran. This cross-sectional study was performed via census sampling on patients, aged 16 years or less, with a final diagnosis of hand injury. Patients presenting to the orthopedic department of Khatam-al-Anbia General Hospitalof Zahedan, Iran, were selected from March 2012 to December 2013. Data were analyzed trospectively, using a chart review. Two-hundred patients (136 males and 64 females with the mean age of 13±2.8 years) with 205 hand injuries were included in this study. As the results indicated, door-related injuries were the most common type (25%), accounting for 24% and 28% of injuries in male and female patients, respectively (P=0.016). Most injuries occurred at home (64%) and the lowest number was reported at school(22%) (P=0.012). Compared to boys, girls were more likely to be injured at home (78% vs. 57%) (P=0.13). In addition, the dominant hand was mostly injured by doors (28%). The most common type of injury was laceration(81%) and the least common type was finger amputation (7%); also, children with finger amputation were significantly younger than those with other types of hand injuries (P<0.001).Thumb alone (20%) and index and middle fingers together with anequal percentage (3.5%) were the most commonly injured digits. Also, the mean hospitalization cost was 297± 38 dollars. Most hand injuries occurred at home and were door-related; they were also more frequentamong younger children. Prospective studies in order to identify specific protective door devices could potentially decrease the frequency of these injures.