Events Due to Snowblower Use Seen in US Emergency Departments From 2003 Through 2018

Abstract

Objective To comprehensively analyze emergency department (ED) visits associated with snowblower use in the United States. Methods Data on National Electronic Injury Surveillance System ED visits due to snow blowers from 2003 through 2018 were analyzed by age, sex, diagnosis, anatomic location of the injury, and year, month, or weekday. The mechanism of injury and alcohol use were noted. Statistical analyses were performed, accounting for the weighted, stratified nature of the data. Results There were an estimated 91,451 patients with an average age of 51 years; 91.2% were male. Amputation, fracture, or laceration accounted for 43,524 (47.6%) of the ED visits. The mechanism of injury was placing the hand into the chute (44.5%), a fall/slip (13.3%), medical events (6.1%), and miscellaneous (33.8%). Most (68.9%) occurred at home. Alcohol was rarely involved (0.4%). There were 648 deaths; 647 were due to cardiac events. The five major injury diagnoses were fracture (25.9%), laceration (20.2%), strain/sprain (15.0%), amputation (11.2%), and contusion/abrasion (10.2%); 99.8% of the amputations involved fingers. The incidence of ED snowblower visits was 1.845 per 100,000 US population with no change over time. There was a general correlation between the number of visits and the annual snow cover. Conclusions Ample opportunity for injury prevention exists, as there was no change in the incidence over time. Cardiac events accounted for essentially all of the deaths.

Keywords: amputation; cardiac; fracture; medical; snowblower; snowcover.

Figure 1. Injuries sustained from snow blowers

Anatomic location of the five major injury diagnoses sustained from snow blowers by body area AMP = amputation, CTAB = contusion/abrasion, FX = fracture, LAC = laceration, STSP = strain/sprain

Figure 2. Injuries from snow blowers distal to the elbow

The 43,524 injuries occurring distal to the elbow These 43,524 patients accounted for 47.6% of all ED visits due to snow blowers.

Figure 3. Snowblower ED visits by month and weekday

The number of emergency department (ED) visits by month and day of the week as demonstrated on a topographical projection The peak occurred on Saturdays and Sundays from mid-January to mid-February.

Figure 4. Incidence over time

The overall incidence was 1.845 per 100,000 US population and did not change over time (r² = 0.005, p = 0.81) (filled rhomboids represent the incidence for each year and the hatched line represents linear regression over time).

Figure 5. Snowblower ED visits per year and annual snow cover area

The number of ED visits per year (solid orange line) and the average annual snow cover (km²) in the 48 contiguous states per year (solid blue line) Snow cover data from Robinson [23] as described by Estilow [24]