Lacerations Most Common Ear Injuries in US Over 20 Years

TOPLINE:

Lacerations were the most common traumatic ear injury during emergency visits across all age groups, with geriatric patients showing significantly higher rates than younger adult patients. Pediatric patients more frequently sustained hematomas and contusions, whereas geriatric patients had a higher risk for hospitalization.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers analyzed 25,285 emergency visits for traumatic ear injuries from the National Electronic Injury and Surveillance System (NEISS) database between 2srcsrc3 and 2src22.
• Patients were categorized into pediatric (2-17 years), younger adult (18-64 years), and geriatric (≥ 65 years) groups.
• Researchers analyzed injury types, hospitalizations, injury settings, and product involvement.

TAKEAWAY:

• Lacerations were the most common type of ear injury across all age groups (69.3% of pediatric patients, 68.6% of younger adult patients, and 82.5% of geriatric patients), followed by contusions, punctures, and hematomas. Geriatric patients had significantly higher rates of lacerations than younger adult patients (82.5% vs 68.6%; P <.srcsrc1).
• Compared with younger adult patients, pediatric patients were more likely to sustain hematomas (2.8% vs 3.7%; P=.srcsrc1) and contusions (16.src% vs 18.src%; P=.srcsrc6).
• Geriatric patients were over five times more likely than younger adult patients to be hospitalized following ear injuries (7.7% vs 1.5%; P <.srcsrc1). Patients who were hospitalized were significantly older than those who were released after examination or treatment (mean age, 63.4 vs 37.2 years; P <.srcsrc1).
• The top five products causing ear injuries were tables, first aid equipment, beds or bedframes, jewelry, and chairs.

IN PRACTICE:

“The findings of this study also provide invaluable insight toward informing public health strategies for mitigating the incidence of traumatic ear injuries across different age demographics,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

The study was led by Sam Boroumand, Division of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, and was published online on March 26, 2src25, in Injury.

LIMITATIONS:

The NEISS database was limited to US hospitals, and the data may have been subject to inconsistencies or bias. The database lacked important clinical details, including injury severity, specific treatments received, patient comorbidities, and operative care requirements.

DISCLOSURES:

The authors declared no funding sources or conflicts of interest.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.