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Background: Children under the age of 14 account for over 40% of the almost 900,000 annual hospital visits associated with dog bites. Care for dog bites ranges from simple wound irrigation to complex surgical reconstruction. Due to a number of factors, children frequently sustain dog bites to highly vulnerable regions, often necessitating intervention by plastic surgeons. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from the 1422 pediatric patients who sustained dog bites and presented to the Le Bonheur Children's Hospital Emergency Room from January 2011 to May 2017. Results: The typical pediatric dog bite case was male (63.5%), African-American (57.4%), and less than 10 years old (69.4%). The head and neck were the most commonly affected areas (64.7%). Of the head and neck regions, the cheeks and lips were the most frequently injured structures (34.5%). Hospital admission was required for 188 patients (13.2%) and operative repair was deemed necessary in 16.9% of all cases. Of the patients requiring inpatient operative repair, most (78.3%) were discharged in less than 24 hours. Operative complications occurred in 5.8% of all cases, with infections accounting for the majority (92.9%). No fatal dog bites occurred in this study. Conclusions: Age, bite location, and number of bites sustained are several factors of significance, which may aid the novice plastic surgeon in identifying, which pediatric dog bite cases will require surgical intervention.
A 9-year-old Caucasian male involved in an incident with his aunt's Labrador where he sustained a complex posterior scalp avulsion along with multiple lacerations of his face and left upper extremity. Following initial debridement and irrigation with antibiotic solution, the lacerations on the left arm and face were primarily closed whereas the scalp wound was partially closed with a remaining 10 Â 7 cm defect, which temporally covered with a wound vacuum-assisted closure. The later was reconstructed with dermal substitute and then with a split thickness skin graft (STSG). A year and a half following application of the STSG, the patient underwent placement of a smooth rectangle tissue expander with remote injection dome, 550 mL for restoring cosmesis. The expander placement was performed through a left temporal incision, 5 cm, and a minimal right temporal incision, 2 cm. Five months later, final reconstruction was performed with removal of the expander and advancement of the expanded hair-bearing scalp over the defect. An aesthetically pleasing result was achieved. (A) The scalp defects. (B) The final defect following debridement of devitalized tissues and repairing parts of the wounds. (C) View of the wound following application of dermal substitute. (D) Lateral view of the patient's scalp following application of a 550 mL tissue expander through a 5 cm left temporal incision. (E) Lateral view of the patient with the final expansion volume. (F) Final outcome, 1 year after final reconstruction; posterior view of the patient. (G) Final outcome, 1 year after final reconstruction; lateral view of the patient.
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Pediatric Dog Bites: A Review of 1422 Cases Treated at a
Level One Regional Pediatric Trauma Center
Louisa C. Boyd, MD,
Jeremy Chang, MD,
y
Sonia Ajmera, MD,
z
Robert D. Wallace, MD,
§
Sonia M. Alvarez, MD,
§
and Petros Konofaos, MD, PhD
§
Background: Children under the age of 14 account for over 40% of
the almost 900,000 annual hospital visits associated with dog bites.
Care for dog bites ranges from simple wound irrigation to complex
surgical reconstruction. Due to a number of factors, children
frequently sustain dog bites to highly vulnerable regions, often
necessitating intervention by plastic surgeons.
Methods: This retrospective study analyzed data from the 1422
pediatric patients who sustained dog bites and presented to the Le
Bonheur Children’s Hospital Emergency Room from January 2011
to May 2017.
Results: The typical pediatric dog bite case was male (63.5%),
African-American (57.4%), and less than 10 years old (69.4%). The
head and neck were the most commonly affected areas (64.7%). Of
the head and neck regions, the cheeks and lips were the most
frequently injured structures (34.5%). Hospital admission was
required for 188 patients (13.2%) and operative repair was
deemed necessary in 16.9% of all cases. Of the patients
requiring inpatient operative repair, most (78.3%) were
discharged in less than 24 hours. Operative complications
occurred in 5.8% of all cases, with infections accounting for the
majority (92.9%). No fatal dog bites occurred in this study.
Conclusions: Age, bite location, and number of bites sustained are
several factors of significance, which may aid the novice plastic
surgeon in identifying, which pediatric dog bite cases will require
surgical intervention.
Key Words: Animal bite injury, dog bites, pediatric trauma,
reconstructive surgery, surgical management
(J Craniofac Surg 2022;33: 1118–1121)
Census data from 2018 reports that within the United States,
there are currently 89.7 million dogs kept by 60.2 million
households, in addition to an unknown number of stray dogs.
1
Although no current studies have been done to assess nationwide
statistics on dog bites, a 2001 Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention report estimated 4.4 million dog bites occurred in the
USA annually, resulting in 885,000 associated hospital visits.
Children under the age of 14 accounted for over 40% of this
statistic.
2
Dog bites are not without mortality risk.
3
The severity of dog
bites and subsequent interventions required vary greatly, with
multiple known characteristics such as the patient age, location
of the dog bite, and size/depth of the lesion playing a role. Dog bites
can cause significant trauma to soft tissue and often damage vital
dermal and subdermal structures. Even after successful defect
repair, the healing process may result in lasting contraction and
scarring, compromising aesthetic outcomes. Furthermore, dog bites
carry a potentially lethal infectious disease risk, as the canine oral
cavity may be colonized by Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus
Aureus, Pasteurella, C. tetani, or rabies virus.
4
Care for dog bites may range from simple wound irrigation to
laceration repair within the Emergency Room (ER) to complex
surgical interventions. Depending on the extent of damage sus-
tained, procedures such as skin grafting and nerve repair may be
required.
4
Plastic surgeons remain at the forefront of care for
traumatic dog bite patients. In 2017 alone, dog bites represented
approximately 28,000 reconstructive procedures. To put this in
perspective, dog bites amounted to more reconstructive cases
annually than either lower extremity reconstruction or burn care.
5
Numerous studies nationwide report a higher prevalence of
pediatric dog bites victims than adults.
2,6
Children are found to
have an increased risk of head and neck bites, with this anatomical
location having been linked with increased need for invasive repair
and morbidity.
7
Increased awareness towards this injury is neces-
sary for both the lay and medical community to potentially decrease
occurrences and morbidities from child dog bites.
8,9
Although studies exist investigating dog bite occurrence, few
investigations focus exclusively on the pediatric population.
1,2,6,7,10
In the recent literature, even fewer studies include over 1000
pediatric patients.
1,2
To the best of the authors knowledge, there
is a paucity in the literature regarding predictors of cases, which will
require surgical intervention in excess of surgical closure within the
ER and which will have a higher incidence of complications. The
aim of this review is to provide the novice plastic surgeon with
predictors of these 2 aspects of care in the management of pediatric
dog bite patients.
PATIENTS AND STUDY DESIGN
A retrospective review of 1422 pediatric patients who sustained dog
bites and presented to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital ER from
January 2011 to May 2017 was performed. Initial filtering of
patients was performed by ER diagnostic code. Charts were subse-
quently analyzed for patient demographics, bite location, dog
From the Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Saint Louis
University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO; yDepartment of
Surgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA;
zDepartment of Neurosurgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylva-
nia, Philadelphia, PA; and §Department of Plastic Surgery, University of
Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN.
Received July 11, 2021.
Accepted for publication August 24, 2021.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Petros Konofaos, MD,
PhD, Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Tennessee Health
Science Center, 1068 Cresthaven Road, Suite 500 Memphis, TN 38119;
E-mail: pkonofao@uthsc.edu
Presented at the Plastic Surgery The Meeting (ASPS), 2019, in San Diego.
The authors report no conflicts of interest.
Supplemental digital contents are available for this article. Direct URL
citations appear in the printed text and are provided in the HTML and
PDF versions of this article on the journal’s Web site (www.jcraniofa-
cialsurgery.com).
Copyright #2021 by Mutaz B. Habal, MD
ISSN: 1049-2275
DOI: 10.1097/SCS.0000000000008209
CLINICAL STUDY
1118 The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery Volume 33, Number 4, June 2022
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demographics, interventions, and outcomes. Additional visits relat-
ed to the same initial injury were all entered under the same patient.
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
Inclusion criteria consisted of the following: (1) presentation to
our ER for evaluation and treatment of dog bite injury; (2) age of
less than or equal to 18 years; (3) no interventions had been
performed at other institutions before presentation. Patients were
excluded if the bite source was not canine or if no true bite occurred
(ie, animal scratch with no skin break or laceration/abrasion sec-
ondary to animal activity).
Treatment and Management Algorithm
Before evaluating the wound, ensure that the patient is stablefrom
both respiratory and hemodynamic perspectives. Both appropriate
antibiotic coverage and tetanus/rabies prophylaxis underlie all care.
Abrasions may be treatedwith simple irrigation, applicationof wound
dressing, and follow-up. Puncture wounds may require primary
closure in addition to the previously mentioned interventions. Super-
ficial lacerations require the previously mentioned treatment with the
exception of tetanus prophylaxis. More extensive lacerations, such as
partial flap avulsions, require appropriate antibiotic therapy in addi-
tion to hospital admission for wound monitoring. If necessary,
debridementwith subsequent vacuum assisted closureor skin grafting
may ensue. Finally, injury involving vital structures, vulnerable
anatomical locations, large surface areas, or complete tissue loss
require antibiotics and hospital admission. Consultation of appropri-
ate subspecialists may be necessary. Surgical intervention is likely
warranted. The treatment algorithm is provided in Figure 1.
Statistical Analysis
Chi square test was utilized to assess associations between the
following categorical variables with a significance level of 0.05:
age, gender, anatomical location of bite, number of bites, dog breed
demographics, type of surgical intervention, need for surgical
intervention, and complications. Student ttest and analysis of
variance were used to analyze measures of central tendency with
a significance level of 0.05.
RESULTS
A total of 1422 patients were identified over a 6.5 year-period,
averaging 1 bite every 1.6 days. The typical patient was male
(63.5%) and African-American (57.4%). Younger children were
more frequently bitten, with the highest incidence of bites occurring
in patients who were less than 10 years old (69.4%) (Supplementary
Digital Content, Table 1, http://links.lww.com/SCS/D315). The
head and neck were the most commonly affected areas (64.7%)
in this study (Supplementary Digital Content, Table 2, http://links.
lww.com/SCS/D315) (Fig. 2A-G). Hospital admission was required
for 188 patients (13.2%) and operative repair, entailing repair either
in the operating room or under sedation in the ER, was deemed
necessary in 16.9% of all patients. Of the patients requiring hospital
admissions most (78.3%) were discharged in less than 24 hours. No
fatal dog bites occurred in this study.
Rabies and Tetanus Prophylaxis
Most patients did not receive vaccinations, whereas in the ER
(n ¼1245). Those that did received either the tetanus, diphtheria
and acellular pertussis vaccine (n ¼154), the rabies vaccine/immu-
noglobulin (n ¼19), or both (n ¼4). No cases of rabies or tetanus
were reported.
FIGURE 1. Treatment algorithm.
FIGURE 2. A 9-year-old Caucasian male involved in an incident with his aunt’s
Labrador where he sustained a complex posterior scalp avulsion along with
multiple lacerations of his face and left upper extremity. Following initial
debridement and irrigation with antibiotic solution, the lacerations on the left
arm and face were primarily closed whereas the scalp wound was partially
closed with a remaining 107 cm defect, which temporally covered with a
wound vacuum-assisted closure. The later was reconstructed with dermal
substitute and then with a split thickness skin graft (STSG). A year and a half
following application of the STSG, the patient underwent placement of a
smooth rectangle tissue expander with remote injection dome, 550 mL for
restoring cosmesis. The expander placement was performed through a left
temporal incision, 5 cm, and a minimal right temporal incision, 2 cm. Five
months later, final reconstruction was performed with removal of the expander
and advancement of the expanded hair-bearing scalp over the defect. An
aesthetically pleasing result was achieved. (A) The scalp defects. (B) The final
defect following debridement of devitalized tissues and repairing parts of the
wounds. (C) View of the wound following application of dermal substitute. (D)
Lateral view of the patient’s scalp following application of a 550 mL tissue
expander through a 5 cm left temporal incision. (E) Lateral view of the patient
with the final expansion volume. (F) Final outcome, 1 year after final
reconstruction; posterior view of the patient. (G) Final outcome, 1 year after final
reconstruction; lateral view of the patient.
The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery Volume 33, Number 4, June 2022 Pediatric Dog Bites
#2021 Mutaz B. Habal, MD 1119
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Anatomic Distribution of Bites
The majority of bites were located in various areas of the head
and neck (64.7%). Of these areas, the cheeks and lips were the most
frequently injured structures (34.5%). The extremities were the
second most frequently bitten location, with the upper extremities
(30.1%) being slightly more common than the lower extremities
(28.9%). Bites to the trunk were much less numerous (9.5%). Three
patients sustained bites to the genitals (Supplementary Digital
Content, Table 2, http://links.lww.com/SCS/D315).
Attacking Dog Breeds
In this study, 6 different dog breeds, plus mixed breeds, com-
prised the majority of known dog breeds. Most cases (64.1%)
remained unidentified by the patient or family members at ED
presentation. Most dog bite victims (57.9%) were familiar with the
dog that attacked them. Pit Bulls were the most frequently identified
breed (n ¼245, 47.9%) of the 511 cases in which the breed was
known and were the most commonly identified breed in cases
requiring operative repair (52.2%) (Supplementary Digital Content,
Table 3, http://links.lww.com/SCS/D315).
Nonoperative Management
Patients not requiring surgical intervention most commonly
underwent simple wound irrigation (n ¼496). Those requiring more
extensive treatment received laceration repair without sedation
(n ¼146).
Operative Management
For patients requiring operative repair (n ¼240, 16.9%), 198
laceration repairs were performed, with more complex procedures
such as nerve (n ¼3) or vessel (n ¼3) repair and fracture reductions
(n ¼11) rarely being required. Most patients (89.2%) underwent a
single operation and 78.3% were discharged in less than 24 hours
(Supplementary Digital Content, Table 4, http://links.lww.com/
SCS/D315).
Operative Complications
In general, operative complications were rare and occurred in
only 5.8% of cases (n ¼14). Of those that occurred, 92.8% were
accounted for by infections (n ¼13). One case required scar revi-
sion (Supplementary Digital Content, Table 5, http://links.lww.
com/SCS/D315).
Statistical Analysis
This study aimed to identify factors of importance that would aid
the plastic surgeon in assessing, which pediatric dog bite cases
should be managed operatively and which cases might be prone to
higher complication rates. Several factors of significance related to
operative intervention were identified. There was a significant
increase in operative need in children less than 10 years of age
(P <0.000001). Additionally, bites to the head and neck were
significantly associated with operative need as compared to both
the upper and lower extremities (P <0.00001) and the torso
(P <0.0001). The number of bites sustained further influenced
surgical intervention, with more than 2 bites being significantly
associated with operative need (P<0.0001). Gender was not
significantly associated with operative intervention (P¼0.28)
and had no association with operative complications (P¼0.84).
DISCUSSION
In Emergency Departments across the country, plastic surgeons are
frequently consulted on pediatric dog bite injuries, as the severity
and location of many bites warrant high level operative interven-
tion. Although many studies regarding the management and statis-
tical analysis of pediatric dog bites exist in the literature, none have
attempted to analyze this issue from a reconstructive surgery
perspective. Furthermore, very few studies of similar size have
been performed at a single institution in recent years.
2,11
Special Considerations in Pediatric Patients
Pediatric dog bites are difficult to manage due to a multitude of
factors. The majority of dog bite victims in this study and through-
out the country are under the age of 10, meaning that the plastic
surgeon must work on a much smaller scale than is optimal.
Delicate and aesthetically demanding structures commonly affected
in dog bites, such as the lips and nose, are challenging enough to
repair on a full sized patient, let alone a toddler. Additionally, the
extent of damage inflicted to a pediatric patient may far surpass that
of an adult suffering from a comparable bite. Finally, the surgeon
must be cognizant that the aesthetic outcome achieved at the time of
repair may be compromised as the patient undergoes later growth
and development.
Victim Demographics
The demographics of the typical dog bite case in this study vary
little from the majority of the published literature for the past 2
decades. Like most studies, the average dog bite patient in our study
was male and elementary school aged.
1,11,12
This uneven gender
distribution be accounted for by simple boyhood curiosity or by the
more physically aggressive styles of play seen in young boys, which
dogs may not take well to. The majority of victims were less than
10 years old
1,12,13
perhaps indicating that the size, strength, and
situational awareness that develop with age are all protective factors
against dog bites. Schalamon et al
14
previously reported an in-
creased incidence in children less than 1 year of age, which our data
did not support.
The Danger of Familiarity
The majority of both operative (69.6%) and nonoperative cases
(55.6%) were familiar with the attacking dog. This is in agreement
with other studies, in which the attacking dog is most frequently
either a household pet or neighbor’s dog.
1,3,6,1,14
Since familiarity
clearly does not protect children from being bitten, 1 can infer that
children are likely approaching these ‘‘known’ and ‘friendly’ dogs
closer and more intimately than they would a strange dog, resulting
in bites that are frequently more severe. This false sense of safety
may also account for the high volume of bites that occur on the head
and neck regions of many pediatric patients.
Vulnerable Locations and Structures
Our data indicate that the head and neck were the most com-
monly bitten areas (64.7%) in pediatric dog bite injuries. More
specifically, the cheeks and lips were the prime sites of injury. This
finding is consistent with existing literature, which also indicates
that bites are most commonly sustained to the central structures of
the face.
6,13,15
Palmer and Rees
15
previously deemed the cheeks,
lips, and nose the ‘‘central target zone’ in pediatric dog bite injuries
due to the high incidence of bites that occur on these delicate and
central structures.
Predictors of Surgical Intervention
Surgical intervention was necessary in 16.9% of dog bite cases
in our study and was statistically significant in relation to several
variables. Head and neck bites accounted for 54.2% of all operative
cases and were statistically associated with surgical intervention,
Boyd et al The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery Volume 33, Number 4, June 2022
1120 #2021 Mutaz B. Habal, MD
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indicating that these areas suffered more severe damage than the
extremities (P<0.00001) or torso (P<0.0001).
5,16
Children are of
short stature and are, therefore, more easily bitten on these critical
areas than their adult counterparts.
6
Furthermore, children are less
aware of dangerous situations and lack both the gross motor skills
and strength necessary to protect themselves from harm, perhaps
also accounting for the severity of injuries occurring in these
regions. Based on the high frequency of head and neck bites seen
in our study and others,
6,13
children are likely approaching dogs at a
very close range to hug, kiss, pet, or play with them, whereas
leaving their head and neck regions susceptible to injury.
3
High Risk Dog Breeds
Although great controversy surrounds the idea of singling out
certain breeds as ‘‘problem’ breeds, this study, in the company of
many before it, has identified a few breeds that bite children with a
greater frequency than others. The authors have no intention of
entering the political debate over whether or not certain breeds
should be banned or considered high risk, but, rather, to comment
on whether or not certain breed bites have a higher propensity to
send a patient to the operating room or not.
Although any dog can bite a child, countless studies from across
the country have identified Pitt Bulls, Mastiffs, German Shepherds,
and Dobermans as the most frequently identified breeds resulting in
visits to the ER.
1,5,6,14
Likewise, Pit Bulls comprised the majority of
identified dog breeds in this study (47.9%), followed by mixed
breeds and German Shepherds. Of the cases requiring operative
intervention, Pit Bulls were the most frequently identified attackers.
Clearly, the catchment area of the ER plays a role in this data, as dog
breed demographics may vary between urban and rural areas.
Limitations
Although this study has its limitations, no other studies are of
comparable size in the recent literature and lack the ability to fully
analyze, which factors may influence the need for operative interven-
tion. That being said,our hospital is the largest pediatric traumacenter
for a relatively large catchment region and as a result, the cases
presenting to the ER may reflect more severe injuries that local care
providersdid not feel comfortable treating. Bothpatient and dog breed
demographics seen in this study may not be applicable to other
similarly sized citiesacross the USA. This study, and its predecessors,
are further limited by the self-reported nature of dog demographic
data. The majority of data regarding breed identification, relationship
to the victim, andif the attack was provoked remain unreported during
ER presentation. Whether or not Pitt Bulls are in fact the most
frequently attacking dogs is left to be determined due to the sheer
volume of unreported breeds. Pit Bulls may be more memorable than
other breeds, resulting in confounding of the data from recall bias.
Finally, this retrospective chart review suffered in that the charts were
not written for research purposes and lacked standardization.
CONCLUSIONS
Children frequently sustain dog bites to highly vulnerable regions,
often necessitating surgical intervention. Although great debate
remains as to how to best decrease our nation’s pediatric dog bite
epidemic, plastic surgeons can help to minimize the devastating
physical and psychological effects of these injures through effective
and timely management of cases requiring surgical intervention.
Analysis of data from our high-volume pediatric trauma center can
hasten this triage process for the reconstructive surgeon, by analysis
of repeated gender, age, and bite location patterns observed in
our study.
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The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery Volume 33, Number 4, June 2022 Pediatric Dog Bites
#2021 Mutaz B. Habal, MD 1121
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... Children constituted the majority of patients in the group with an animal bite/scratch etiology, a finding that was similar to other studies. 25,26 A study investigating ocular trauma in dog bite victims in a level 1 trauma center over 11 years showed that children with dog bite injuries were 4.2 times more likely to sustain ocular injuries than adults. 27 They also found that 40% of those who suffered from periocular injuries due to dog bites had a canalicular laceration injury. ...
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Purpose To investigate the etiology and demographic associations of patients presenting with eyelid lacerations to a US level 1 trauma center emergency department (ED). Patient and Methods A retrospective chart review of all patients with eyelid lacerations presenting to the ED at a single level 1 trauma center was performed. Eyelid lacerations were categorized as simple eyelid lacerations, eyelid lacerations with eyelid margin involvement, and eyelid lacerations with nasolacrimal system involvement. Data on demographics and clinical characteristics were analyzed. Results A total of 303 eyelid laceration cases were identified, 56% were simple eyelid lacerations, followed by 24% with nasolacrimal involvement and 20% involving the eyelid margin. Sixty percent of animal bites/scratches resulted in a nasolacrimal system involving laceration, most commonly affecting children. Falls were the most common etiology in children and patients over the age of 60. Black patients, patients presenting with concomitant ophthalmic injuries, and those with Medicaid insurance were more likely to have an assault etiology (p < 0.05 for all). Conclusion Falls were the most common etiology for eyelid lacerations in children and the elderly, while assault was the most common in adults. Identifying the most common etiology by demographic factors can help raise awareness regarding targeted prevention strategies for high-risk populations.
... Dog bites are a major cause of injury in the United States, and while dog bites are well known to affect the head and neck [14], our study revealed that dog bite fractures affecting the long bone occur in roughly 0.35% of reported pediatric dog injuries. In our review, most of the fractures were observed in the upper extremity, presumably as patients guarded their faces against injury. ...
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This study presents a case series and systematic review of pediatric patients who sustained long bone fractures following dog bites. A systematic review of the studies on “pediatric fracture dog bite” based on a search of PubMed and OVID Medline databases was performed by adhering to PRISMA guidelines. Articles in English describing pediatric long bone fractures due to dog bites were included. Studies not differentiating pediatric from adult patients and not describing long bone fractures due to dog bites were excluded. Study characteristics, fracture epidemiology, management decisions, and follow-up data were extracted. Additionally, a seven-year retrospective chart review of cases treated at our level one pediatric trauma center was performed. Data on fracture characteristics, surgical management, choice of antibiotic therapy, and follow-up were collected. Five studies that met our criteria were analyzed. Pediatric long bone fractures from dog bites were identified in 0.35% (11/3,156) of patients. Such fractures most commonly involved the upper extremity (9/11, 82%). None of the studies described the choice of antibiotics, surgical decision-making, or wound closure preference for an underlying fracture. Our chart review elicited three cases of long bone fractures due to dog bites. Pediatric long bone fractures after dog bites are a rare injury pattern in the United States. These injuries should be treated as contaminated open fractures, and urgent immunization, intravenous antibiotic administration, wound care, and fracture stabilization should be provided. We recommend meticulous surgical debridement in the operating room, as wounds often probe deep into the bone. Nevertheless, there is much that remains unclear about these injuries. Hence, further research with greater power is needed to improve treatment decisions.
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Background:. Incidence of dog bites continues to rise among the pediatric population and serves as a public health threat for the well-being of children. Plastic surgeons are at the forefront of initial management and eventual outcome of these devastating injuries. This study set out to determine the nature of dog bite injuries treated over a 3-year period at a large level 1 pediatric trauma center. Methods:. A retrospective review of emergency room records of all pediatric patients (age, 0–18 years old) who sustained dog bites between January 2012 and December 2014 were gathered. All details about age of patient, location and severity of dog bites, type of dog breed, antibiotics given, and emergency versus operative treatment were recorded and analyzed. Results:. One hundred eight patients aged 5 months to 18 years old were treated in the emergency department after suffering dog bite injuries during the study period. The highest incidence of dog bites occurred in preschool children. The mean age for patients who required operative repair was lower than the mean age for patients who underwent primary closure in the emergency department. The location of injury was most commonly isolated to the head/neck region. Of the 56 cases that had an identified dog breed, pit bulls accounted for 48.2% of the dog bites, and 47.8% of pit bull bites required intervention in the operating room. Conclusion:. Children with large dog bite injuries require more immediate care in a level 1 pediatric trauma hospitals in order to optimize their hospitalization course and eventual outcome.
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Dog bite injuries remain a common form of pediatric trauma. This single-institution study of 1616 consecutive dog bite injuries over 4 years revealed a much higher prevalence of dog bites as compared with other similar centers. Though inpatient admission was rare (9.8%), 58% of all patients required laceration repair, primarily in the emergency department. Infants were more than 4 times as likely to be bitten by the family dog and more than 6 times as likely to be bitten in the head/neck region. Children ≤5 years old were 62% more likely to require repair; and 5.5% of all patients required an operation. Pit bull bites were implicated in half of all surgeries performed and over 2.5 times as likely to bite in multiple anatomic locations as compared to other breeds. The relatively high regional prevalence and younger age of injured patients as compared with other centers is a topic of further study but should draw attention to interventions that can minimize child risk.
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This study focuses on parental report of exposure to dogs and highlights the potential for using a computer kiosk in an urban pediatric emergency department to increase knowledge around dog bite safety. Nine hundred one parents of young children completed a kiosk assessment and received a report that contained information aimed at increasing knowledge about either dog bite prevention (PAR-DB, n = 453) or other safety behaviors (PAR-S, n = 448). The participants who received the dog bite prevention report (PAR-DB) were asked questions about exposure to dogs as part of the baseline assessment. All participants were telephoned 2 to 4 weeks later for a follow-up interview to measure knowledge differences. The majority of respondents who answered the exposure questions reported seeing stray dogs (53%) and having dangerous dogs (43%) in their neighborhood. Few respondents reported that their child had been bitten by a dog (1%), but the majority (56%) reported having knowledge of another child having been bitten. Few respondents reported having a dog in their home (11%), and only 1 reported that her dog had bitten a child. A majority (56%) of dogs had not been spayed or neutered. Of families with dogs in the home, 20% reported leaving their child unattended with the dog. A minority (45%) of dogs left alone with children had been spayed or neutered. PAR-DB parents achieved knowledge gains as a result of the Parent Action Report generated by the kiosk, demonstrating the potential to improve knowledge via a computer kiosk in a busy pediatric emergency department.
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Context.— Dog bites that result in injuries occur frequently, but how frequently dog bite injuries necessitate medical attention at a hospital or hospital admission is unknown.Objective.— To describe the incidence and characteristics of dog bite injuries treated in US emergency departments (EDs).Design.— Emergency department survey from the National Center for Health Statistics National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey for 1992 to 1994.Patients.— National probability sample of patients visiting EDs.Main Outcome Measure.— Incidence of dog bites treated in EDs, defined as a cause of injury recorded as the E-code E906.0.Results.— The 3-year annualized, adjusted, and weighted estimate of new dog bite–related injury visits to US EDs was 333687, a rate of 12.9 per 10000 persons (95% confidence interval [CI], 10.5-15.4). This represents approximately 914 new dog bite injuries requiring ED visits per day. The median age of patients bitten was 15 years, with children, especially boys aged 5 to 9 years, having the highest incidence rate (60.7 per 10000 persons for boys aged 5 to 9 years). Children seen in EDs were more likely than older persons to be bitten on the face, neck, and head (73% vs 30%). We estimated that for each US dog bite fatality there are about 670 hospitalizations and 16000 ED visits.Conclusions.— Dog bite injuries are an important source of injury in the US population, especially among children. Improved surveillance and prevention of dog bite–related injuries, particularly among children, are needed.
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Purpose To identify which patients and canines are involved in dog bites of the head and neck, and how they impact health systems. Materials and Methods This is a single center, retrospective cohort study conducted from January 2012 to June 2013 from an academic, tertiary care center situated between multiple suburban and urban communities. Patients were identified by queried search for all bite-related diagnoses codes. Results 334 unique dog bites were identified, of which 101 involved the head and neck. The mean patient age was 15.1 years ± 18.1. Of the more than 8 different breeds identified, one-third were caused by pit bull terriers and resulted in the highest rate of consultation (94%) and had 5 times the relative rate of surgical intervention. Unlike all other breeds, pit bull terriers were relatively more likely to attack an unknown individual (+ 31%), and without provocation (+ 48%). Injuries of the head and neck had an average follow-up of 1.26 ± 2.4 visits, and average specialty follow-up of 3.1 ± 3.5 visits. Conclusions The patients most likely to suffer dog bite injuries of the head and neck are children. Although a number of dog breeds were identified, the largest group were pit bull terriers, whose resultant injuries were more severe and resulted from unprovoked, unknown dogs. More severe injuries required a greater number of interventions, a greater number of inpatient physicians, and more outpatient follow-up encounters. Healthcare utilization and costs associated with dog bites warrant further investigation.
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The aim of this study was to characterize and report the epidemiological data regarding pediatric facial dog bites. For this study, a retrospective chart review was used. This study was performed at a large tertiary pediatric hospital. All children younger than 18 years who sought medical attention after a facial dog bite between January 1, 2003, and December 31, 2008, were included. Demographic and epidemiologic data were collected and analyzed. A total of 537 children were identified. The average age was 4.59 ± 3.36 years, with a slight male preponderance (52.0%). The majority of dog bites occurred in children 5 years of age or younger (68.0%). Almost all (89.8%) of the dogs were known to the children. When circumstances surrounding the bite were documented, over half (53.2%) of the cases were provoked. The most common breeds were mixed breed (23.0%), Labrador retriever (13.7%), Rottweiler (4.9%), and German shepherd (4.4%). Inpatient treatment was required in 121 (22.5%) patients with an average length of stay of 2.96 ± 2.77 days. Children 5 years or younger were more likely to be hospitalized than older children. Children 5 years old and younger are at high risk for being bitten in the face by a familiar dog and are more likely to require hospitalization than older children. Certain dog breeds are more likely to bite, and there is often a history of provocation. There is a tremendous financial and psychosocial burden associated with dog bites, and prevention strategies should focus on education with the aid of public policies and better documentation and reporting systems.
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Vascular trauma from large-dog bites present with a combination of crush and lacerating injuries to the vessel, as well as significant adjacent soft tissue injury and a high potential for wound complications. This retrospective case series evaluates our 15 years of experience in managing this uncommonly seen injury into suggested treatment recommendations. From our database, 371 adult patients presented with dog bites between July 1997 and June 2012. Twenty (5.4%) of those patients had vascular injuries requiring surgical intervention. Patient demographics, anatomic location of injury, clinical presentation, imaging modality, method of repair, and complication rates were reviewed to assess efficacy in preserving limb function. Pediatric patients were managed at the regional children's hospital and, therefore, not included in this study. Among the 20 surgically treated vascular injuries, there were 13 arterial-only injuries, two venous-only injuries, and five combination arterial and venous injuries. Seventeen patients (85%) had upper extremity injuries; three patients had lower extremity injuries (15%). The axillobrachial artery was the most commonly injured single vessel (n = 9/20; 45%), followed by the radial artery (n = 4/20; 20%). Surgical repair of vascular injuries consisted of resection and primary anastomosis (four), interposition bypass of artery with autogenous vein (13), and ligation (two), with (one) being a combination of bypass and ligation. All patients had debridement of devitalized tissue combined with pulse lavage irrigation and perioperative antibiotics. Associated injuries requiring repair included muscle and skin (n = 10/20; 50%), bone (n = 1/20; 5%), nerve (n = 1/20; 5%), and combinations of the three (n = 5/20; 25%). Postoperative antibiotic therapy was administered for 14.7 ± 8.2 days in all 20 patients. Four patients (20%) developed postoperative wound infections, although this did not compromise their vascular repair. Of the patients compliant with postoperative surveillance, all limbs (100%) were viable at discharge and at 1-year follow-up. Dog bite vascular injuries are an uncommon occurrence, where extremity pulse abnormalities are the most common presentation. These injuries are also associated with significant adjacent soft tissue trauma, which warrants aggressive debridement and perioperative antibiotic therapy. Despite vigilant management, nearly one-fifth of our patients sustained wound infections. All infections were successfully managed with broad-spectrum antibiotics, and all limbs were preserved 1-year postoperatively.
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To determine what children know about preventing dog bites and to identify parental desires for dog bite prevention education. This cross-sectional study sampled 5- to 15-year-olds and their parents/guardians presenting to a pediatric emergency department with nonurgent complaints or dog bites. The parent/guardian-child pairs completed surveys and knowledge-based simulated scenario tests developed on the basis of American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dog bite prevention recommendations. Regression analyses modeled knowledge test scores and probability of passing; a passing score was ≥11 of 14 questions. Of 300 parent/guardian-child pairs, 43% of children failed the knowledge test. Older children had higher odds of passing the knowledge test than younger children, as did children with white parents vs those with nonwhite parents. No associations were found between knowledge scores and other sociodemographic or experiential factors. More than 70% of children had never received dog bite prevention education, although 88% of parents desired it. Dog bites are preventable injures that disproportionately affect children. Dog bite prevention knowledge in our sample was poor, particularly among younger children and children with nonwhite parents. Formal dog bite prevention education is warranted and welcomed by a majority of parents.
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The objective of this study was to characterize the nature of dog bite injuries treated over a 5-year period at a large tertiary pediatric hospital and to identify relevant parameters for public education and injury prevention. Investigators performed a retrospective review of emergency room records of a single tertiary pediatric hospital. Records of all patients who were evaluated for dog bite injuries between April of 2001 and December of 2005 were reviewed. All demographic, patient, and injury details were recorded. Five hundred fifty-one patients aged 5 months to 18 years were treated in the emergency department after suffering dog bite injuries during the study period. The majority of injuries (62.8 percent) were sustained by male children. Dog bite injuries were most prevalent during the months of June and July (24.1 percent). Grade school-aged children (6 to 12 years) constituted the majority of victims (51 percent), followed by preschoolers (2 to 5 years; 24.0 percent), teenagers (13 to 18 years; 20.5 percent), and infants (birth to 1 year; 4.5 percent). Injuries sustained by infants and preschoolers often involved the face (53.5 percent), whereas older children sustained injuries to the extremities (60.7 percent). More than 30 different offending breeds were documented in the medical records. The most common breeds included pit bull terriers (50.9 percent), Rottweilers (8.9 percent), and mixed breeds of the two aforementioned breeds (6 percent). Pediatric dog bites are preventable injuries, yet they persist as a prevalent public health problem. Evaluation of data from high-volume tertiary pediatric health care institutions identifies predictable patterns of injury with respect to patient age and gender, animal breed, provocation, and seasonality.