The Iowa orthopaedic journal
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Upper extremity fractures in pedestrian versus motor vehicle accidents: an underappreciated concern.
Though pedestrian versus motor vehicle (PVMV) accidents are a common cause of trauma admission and subsequent orthopaedic consult, the prevalence of upper extremity fracture (UEF) in such events and its association with lower extremity injury (LEI) is unknown. We sought to describe UEF in PVMV accident patients at the time of orthopaedic consult. ⋯ In PVMV accident populations, UEF is a frequent injury often seen in the absence of any LEI. These findings emphasize the importance of carefully screening all PVMV accident patients for UEF and may call into question the usefulness of currently discussed injury pattern.