Head, face, and neck trauma from large animal injury in New Mexico.

This research article examines head, face, and neck injuries (HFNI) resulting from large animal accidents in New Mexico, highlighting their severity, common circumstances, and drawing attention to the high occurrence among females and young people during horseback riding.

Research Objective and Methodology

• The study aimed to analyze injuries caused by large animals, focusing specifically on head, face, and neck injuries (HFNI). It aimed to discern patterns, severity, and implications of these injuries.
• The researchers carried out a retrospective review of admissions due to animal injuries over a six-year period from January 1990 to December 1995.
• Various parameters were considered including the patient’s age, gender, injury mechanism, animal involved, Glasgow Coma Scale score, Injury Severity Score, Abbreviated Injury Severity score for head and neck, Abbreviated Injury Severity score for the face, duration of stay in intensive care, length of hospitalization, morbidity, and mortality.

Study Findings

• The study involved 153 admissions, 61 with HFNI and 92 without. Application of the analysis parameters revealed significant differences in the gender of patients, the animal involved, the activity at the time of injury, and the Glasgow Coma Scale and Injury Severity Scores.
• Injuries to the head, face, and neck were found to have a higher mortality rate, higher severity scores for the head, neck, and face and they produced a lower Glasgow Coma Scale score, indicating a decreased level of consciousness.
• Most of these injuries involved horses (87%) and largely took place during recreational activities, primarily horseback riding (89%).
• The research found that 39% of the patients with HFNI were 18 years or younger, indicating that these injuries frequently occur in young people.

Conclusions and Recommendations

• The study concludes that head, face, and neck injuries from large animal incidences frequently occur in females and young people, producing high severity levels, and thus a higher mortality rate.
• The activity most commonly associated with these injuries is recreational horseback riding.
• Given these findings, the study strongly recommends the mandatory use of protective headgear while performing these activities, as a preventative measure against severe injuries.