PURPOSE: Injuries from electric saws cause considerable hand trauma. This study is designed to provide information detailing the costs of these injuries. METHODS: The study was performed in a tertiary referral academic medical center. The records of patients injured by electric table saws were reviewed. Information regarding demographics, injury severity, medical expense, and time lost from work was analyzed. The patients were stratified by injury severity for further analysis. The mean wage for the region was used to estimate costs of time away from work. The Consumer Protection Agency's review was used to estimate the nationwide burden of these injuries. RESULTS: The study group included 134 patients. Of these patients, 126 were male and 8 were female. The dominant hand was injured in 20; the nondominant, in 114. The mean age was 47.0 years. The mean time lost from work was 64 days. The mean cost of medical expenses for all patients was $22,086, with $8,668 in lost wages, for a total of $30,754 mean cost per injury. The total economic burden for the injuries in this study is $4,121,097. These injuries represent a spectrum of severity, with minor injuries incurring lower hospital fees and requiring less time off work as compared to more involved injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Electric saws cause a wide spectrum of injuries that result in not only tremendous physical and emotional pain but also substantial economic impact as well. Technologies that would prevent such injuries would be a socioeconomic advancement. Federal mandates to implement such technologies should be encouraged.
PURPOSE: Injuries from electric saws cause considerable hand trauma. This study is designed to provide information detailing the costs of these injuries. METHODS: The study was performed in a tertiary referral academic medical center. The records of patients injured by electric table saws were reviewed. Information regarding demographics, injury severity, medical expense, and time lost from work was analyzed. The patients were stratified by injury severity for further analysis. The mean wage for the region was used to estimate costs of time away from work. The Consumer Protection Agency's review was used to estimate the nationwide burden of these injuries. RESULTS: The study group included 134 patients. Of these patients, 126 were male and 8 were female. The dominant hand was injured in 20; the nondominant, in 114. The mean age was 47.0 years. The mean time lost from work was 64 days. The mean cost of medical expenses for all patients was $22,086, with $8,668 in lost wages, for a total of $30,754 mean cost per injury. The total economic burden for the injuries in this study is $4,121,097. These injuries represent a spectrum of severity, with minor injuries incurring lower hospital fees and requiring less time off work as compared to more involved injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Electric saws cause a wide spectrum of injuries that result in not only tremendous physical and emotional pain but also substantial economic impact as well. Technologies that would prevent such injuries would be a socioeconomic advancement. Federal mandates to implement such technologies should be encouraged.
Authors: Johanna P de Jong; Jesse T Nguyen; Anne J M Sonnema; Emily C Nguyen; Peter C Amadio; Steven L Moran Journal: Clin Orthop Surg Date: 2014-05-16
Authors: Cheng-Chang Lu; Tao Zhang; Peter C Amadio; Kai-Nan An; Steven L Moran; Anne Gingery; Chunfeng Zhao Journal: J Orthop Translat Date: 2019-06-06 Impact factor: 5.191
Authors: Hans-Eric Rosberg; Katarina Steen Carlsson; Ragnhild I Cederlund; Eva Ramel; Lars B Dahlin Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2013-05-24 Impact factor: 3.295
Authors: Rodrigo Guerra Sabongi; Jaime Piccaro Erazo; Vinicius Ynoe de Moraes; Carlos Henrique Fernandes; João Baptista Gomes Dos Santos; Flávio Faloppa; João Carlos Belloti Journal: Clinics (Sao Paulo) Date: 2019-09-09 Impact factor: 2.365