Features of injuries due to falls from walnut trees

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate clinical and demographic features of patients who admitted to the emergency department following falls from walnut trees and to explain safety measures necessary to prevent these injuries.
Methods: In this study, 21 cases who applied to the emergency department due to fall from walnut tree were analyzed prospectively. Cases were rewieved in respect of age, sex, admission period to the emergency department, trauma region, vital signs, consultation, diagnosis, treatment, clinical department where the patient was admitted,
and trauma scores.
Results: Mean age of 21 patients was 48.5±17.5 years. Eighty one percent of the patients were male and 19% were female. Mean height of the trees was 5.2 meters. Mean lasgow Coma Scale (GCS) point of patients on the admission was 15, mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 9.4±8.3, and mean New Injury Severity Score (NISS) was 11.9±9.7. Most injured body part was vertebral column (35 %). The diagnosis for 40% of the patients were vertebral fracture. While 71.5% of the patients were admitted to various departments, 23.8% of the patients were discharged from the ED. One case (4.7%) died in the emergency department.
Conclusions: In conclusion; falls from a walnut tree may cause serious injuries and mortality. In adults, falls from walnut trees generally occur when farmers climb a tree for harvesting. To prevent these injuries, necessary safety measure should be explained and farmers, especially the ones living in rural areas, need to be trained to prevent these accidents.