SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “fall from height”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

[Subarachnoid hemorrhage from cerebral artery aneurysm within the context of a fall: external or internal etiology?].

A neurosurgical expertise had to be performed to answer the following question: Was a subarachnoid hemorrhage from a cerebral aneurysm the cause or the result of the fall of a 60 year old man? And with which degree of certainty can this question be answered? It is argued that any statements in this respect cannot but have the degree of a "possibility" (i.e. nearly 30% of the truth). From a medlineR-research data to estimate the prevalence of cerebral aneurysms (1% of all inhabitants) and the incidence of subarachnoid hemorrhage (10/100,000/yr.) became available (assuming a mean life expectancy of 75 years). It is argued that presumably every fourth cerebral aneurysm does not rupture during lifetime. Insofar there is a "scientifically based possibility" that the case under discussion suffered from a subarachnoid hemorrhage resulting from a fall from height as an outer cause of a significant deterioration of a hitherto silent inborn disease.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed1998

Spine injuries associated with falls from hunting tree stands.

Spinal injuries resulting from falls out of tree stands are often associated with concomitant neurologic deficit, prolonged hospitalization, and long-term disability. The purpose of this study was to review the types of spinal injuries that resulted from falls from hunting tree stands. We retrospectively reviewed 27 patients who came to our institution for treatment of spine injuries related to tree-stand accidents between 1981 and 1997. Eleven percent of the falls were alcohol related. Mean height of the fall was 19.6 feet (range, 10 to 35 feet). There were 17 burst fractures, 8 wedge compression fractures, 4 fractures involving the posterior elements, and 1 coronal fracture of the sacral body. Significant neurologic injury occurred in 12 patients (44%). Sixteen patients (59%) had associated injuries. Nine patients (33%) had open reduction, internal fixation, and fusion of their spine fractures. One patient was treated with a halo jacket. The remaining patients were treated in rigid, molded, polypropylene thoracolumbar orthoses or lumbosacral corsets. Accidental falls from tree stands may result in significant spinal fractures often associated with concomitant neurologic injury, extended hospitalization, and permanent disability. Many of these injuries may be prevented through aggressive hunter safety education.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2005

Hair bundle heights in the utricle: differences between macular locations and hair cell types.

Hair bundle structure is a major determinant of bundle mechanics and thus of a hair cell's ability to encode sound and head movement stimuli. Little quantitative information about bundle structure is available for vestibular organs. Here we characterize hair bundle heights in the utricle of a turtle, Trachemys scripta. We visualized bundles from the side using confocal images of utricular slices. We measured kinocilia and stereocilia heights and array length (distance from tall to short end of bundle), and we calculated a KS ratio (kinocilium height/height of the tallest stereocilia) and bundle slope (height fall-off from tall to short end of bundle). To ensure that our measurements reflect in vivo dimensions as closely as possible, we used fixed but undehydrated utricular slices, and we measured heights in three dimensions by tracing kinocilia and stereocilia through adjacent confocal sections. Bundle heights vary significantly with position on the utricular macula and with hair cell type. Type II hair cells are found throughout the macula. We identified four subgroups that differ in bundle structure: zone 1 (lateral extrastriola), striolar zone 2, striolar zone 3, and zone 4 (medial extrastriola). Type I hair cells are confined to striolar zone 3. They have taller stereocilia, longer arrays, lower KS ratios, and steeper slopes than do neighboring (zone 3) type II bundles. Models and experiments suggest that these location- and type-specific differences in bundle heights will yield parallel variations in bundle mechanics. Our data also raise the possibility that differences in bundle structure and mechanics will help explain location- and type-specific differences in the physiological profiles of utricular afferents, which have been reported in frogs and mammals.

Acoustic Maculae↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The likelihood of injuries when children fall out of bed.

Between 1980 and 1985, 76 children from birth to 16 years of age were reported to have fallen out of a bed, crib, or chair while in our hospital; 75% of the incidents occurred in children from birth to 5 years of age. The height of falls ranged from 1 to 3 ft. Most of the injuries were minor (scalp hematoma and facial lacerations). Our data indicate that severe head, neck, spine, and extremity injuries are extremely rare when children fall out of hospital beds. Child abuse should be suspected and ruled out when a child is seen with severe injury from a reported "fall at home."

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2003

Work-related falls among union carpenters in Washington State before and after the Vertical Fall Arrest Standard.

BACKGROUND: Washington State enacted a change in their fall standard for the construction industry in 1991, preceding the Safety Standard for Fall Protection in the Construction Industry promulgated by Federal OSHA in 1994. METHODS: We evaluated changes in the rate of falls from elevations and measures of severity among a large cohort of union carpenters after the fall standard change in Washington State, taking into account the temporal trends in their overall injury rates. RESULTS: There was a significant decrease in the rate of falls from height after the standard went into effect, even after adjusting for the overall decrease in work-related injuries among this cohort. Much of the decrease was immediate, likely representing the publicity surrounding fatal falls and subsequent promulgation of the standard. The greatest decrease was seen between 3 and 3(1/2) years after the standard went into effect. There was a significant reduction in mean paid lost days per event after the standard change and there was a significant reduction in mean cost per fall when adjusting for age and the temporal trend for costs among non-fall injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Through the use of observational methods we have demonstrated significant effects of the Washington State Vertical Fall Arrest Standard among carpenters in the absence of a control or comparison group. Without controlling for the temporal trend in overall injury rates, the rate of decline in falls appeared significantly greater, but the more pronounced, but delayed, decline was not seen. The analyses demonstrate potential error in failing to account for temporal patterns or assuming that a decline after an intervention is related to the intervention.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed1987

Suicidal attempts by jumping from heights. A three-year prospective study of patients admitted to an urban university accident department.

At the Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Helsinki University Central Hospital, an acute accident unit with more than 3,000 trauma admissions per year, a protocol was kept over the years 1982-84 of patients who were treated for injuries sustained from intentional falls from heights. The number of patients included in the series was 73. The mean age of the patients was 29.8 (range 15-65) years. The male:female ratio was 1.5:1. In 15 patients (21%) there was a previous history of recorded psychiatric disorder and in a further 11 patients (15%) chronic alcoholism. The 73 patients had a total of 164 serious individual injuries. Thirteen patients died, all except one within the first 24 hours. The median duration of the hospital stay at university department level was 49 days. In a follow-up survey one year after the fall, 19 (32% of the survivors) had returned to work, 29 (48%) were pensioned and 12 (20%) still needed institutional care. Eight had permanent complete paraplegia. The patients injured in suicidal falls amounted to 0.8% of all trauma admissions during the investigation period and to 3.3% of the nursing days. In the intensive care unit, however, these figures were 9.2% and 14.1% respectively, values high enough to warrant increasing attention to this kind of self-inflicted injuries.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2003

Labor-related fatalities in forensic postmortem investigations during the past 6 years in the southern half of Osaka city and surrounding areas.

To investigate fatal factors involved in labor-related accidents and events, forensic postmortem cases (n=874) during the past 6 years (1996-2001) at our institute were reviewed. Among them, there were 67 labor-related fatalities, showing a varied annual incidence (6-15 cases per year). All the victims were males (19-68 years of age). The most common sites of the accidents were manufacturing factories (n=21, 31.3%), warehouses (n=14, 20.9%), construction and demolition sites (n=11 and n=5, 16.4 and 7.5%, respectively). There were some characteristic types of accidents: falls from heights at work during construction and maintenance, and crushes by heavy materials and moving vehicles in transportation, by collapsing structures at demolition sites or by working machinery in factories. The most severely injured body regions were usually the head in falls (n=13/23) and the chest/abdomen in crushes (n=19/32). Most of the victims (n=54, 80.6%) died within 24 h. Alcohol was detected only in four cases. Most accidents were considered to be due to carelessness and simple fault of the workers without any significant relationship to their professional training and career.

Accidents, Occupational↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Suicides associated with the Jacques Cartier Bridge, Montreal, Quebec 1988-1993: descriptive analysis and intervention proposal.

Falls from heights represent an uncommon means of suicide. Regional variations are attributable to the presence of particular sites which attract suicidal individuals. The Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal is one such site, though less well known than North American sites such as the Golden Gate Bridge or Niagara Falls. According to Coroner's records, 54 suicides were associated with the bridge for the period 1988 to 1993. All but one of the suicides were the result of jumps from the bridge. The median age of victims was 30 years, and 46 of the victims were male. Bridge-specific verbalization of suicidal intent and prior history of medically diagnosed psychiatric disorders are frequently noted. Based on a review of the effectiveness of preventive measures, we propose limiting access to jumping by means of a fence along the bridge railing.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

A population-based study of potential brain injuries requiring emergency care.

BACKGROUND: Brain injury is an important health concern, yet there are few population-based analyses on which to base prevention initiatives. This study aimed, first, to calculate rates of potential brain injury within a defined Canadian population and, second, to describe the external causes, natures and disposition from the emergency department of these injuries. METHODS: We studied all cases of blunt head injury that resulted in a visit to an emergency department for all residents of Greater Kingston during 1998. We used data from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program (CHIRPP) and augmented this by examining all records of emergency or inpatient care received at all hospitals in the area. RESULTS: In 202 (27%) of 760 cases of head injury, there was potential for brain injury. Annual rates of potential brain injury were 16 and 7 per 10,000 population for males and females respectively. CT was performed on 114 (56%) of 202 cases, of which 60 (53%) demonstrated an intracranial pathology, with 11 (10%) showing a diffuse axonal injury pattern on the initial scan. Falls from heights accounted for 14 (47%) of 30 injuries observed in children aged 0-9 years. Individuals aged 10-44 years sustained 32 (63%) of 51 motor vehicle injuries, 15 (88%) of 17 bicycle injuries, 22 (100%) of 22 sports injuries and 8 (89%) of 9 fight-related injuries. Falls accounted for 15 (71%) of 21 injuries among adults aged 65 years or more. INTERPRETATION: The results indicate the relative importance of several external causes of injury. The findings from our geographically distinct population are useful in establishing rational priorities for the prevention of brain injury.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed1993

Fatal falls in childhood. How far must children fall to sustain fatal head injury? Report of cases and review of the literature.

The question of whether fatal head injuries may occur from short-distance falls is one that continues to cause controversy. The records of the Sacramento County Coroner's Office from 1983 to 1991 were reviewed for cases of fatal head injury in children aged < or = 5 years, where a history of a fall was initially given. During this 9-year period, three cases of witnessed falls from heights of > 10 ft (3 m) were found. At autopsy, all children had multiple complex calvarial skull fractures, basal fractures, or both; subdural and subarachnoid hemorrhage was found in all cases, and two showed severe cerebral contusion. None had retinal hemorrhage or axonal injury. These are compared with 19 fatalities initially alleged to have occurred from short falls of < or = 5-6 ft (1.5-1.8 m). As others have found, most of these "minor fall" fatalities occurred under circumstances where there were no unrelated witnesses to corroborate the initial history. Autopsy findings in these cases tended to be of unexpected severity for the initially proposed mechanism of injury, and a number of cases showed evidence of accelerative injury (retinal hemorrhage and/or diffuse axonal injury) where no such mechanism was accounted for by initial history. After sufficient investigation, most of these cases (74%) have ultimately been proven to represent inflicted trauma. A thorough literature review on the subject identifies two major viewpoints. One is that short falls have a significant potential for fatality. The other, more widely espoused view is that short falls rarely, if ever, cause serious injury or death.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed1990

Growth hormone treatment in non-growth hormone-deficient children: effects of stopping treatment.

Overnight physiological growth hormone (GH) secretion was evaluated in 95 short, prepubertal children (73 boys, 22 girls). All the children were below the 3rd centile for height and achieved GH levels greater than 15 mU/l following pharmacological stimulation. The mean average GH level was 7.1 mU/l and the mean sum of pulse amplitudes 80.4 mU/l. No relationship was found between age, height or height velocity and any of the parameters of GH secretion. The group was randomized to receive placebo, GH or remain under observation for the first 6 months and then all patients received GH treatment for a further 6 months. Those treated with GH, 0.27 IU/kg (0.1 mg/kg) three times weekly, in the first phase, demonstrated a mean increase in height velocity SDS of 3.24. There was no difference in growth response between the placebo or observation groups. In the second 6-month period, all children received GH according to the same dose regimen; they were then observed for a further 6 months following its discontinuation. In the 6 months following withdrawal of GH, all groups showed a significant fall in height velocity SDS, which returned to pretreatment levels, without demonstrating 'catch-down' growth. Repeat sampling of overnight GH secretion within 3 days of discontinuing GH showed normal secretory patterns with a small reduction in mean peak amplitude. These results suggest that short children without classic GH insufficiency respond well to exogenous GH in the short term and return to pretreatment height velocities afterwards. Consequently, it may be possible to increase final adult height in such children by GH treatment.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Periodic folding of viscous sheets.

The periodic folding of a sheet of viscous fluid falling upon a rigid surface is a common fluid mechanical instability that occurs in contexts ranging from food processing to geophysics. Asymptotic thin-layer equations for the combined stretching-bending deformation of a two-dimensional sheet are solved numerically to determine the folding frequency as a function of the sheet's initial thickness, the pouring speed, the height of fall, and the fluid properties. As the buoyancy increases, the system bifurcates from "forced" folding driven kinematically by fluid extrusion to "free" folding in which viscous resistance to bending is balanced by buoyancy. The systematics of the numerically predicted folding frequency are in good agreement with laboratory experiments.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1992

Contribution of vertebral deformities to chronic back pain and disability. The Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group.

Among 2992 white women aged 65-70 years recruited from population-based listings, we measured radiographic vertebral dimensions of T5-L4 and calculated ratios of heights: anterior/posterior, mid/posterior, and posterior/posterior of either adjacent vertebra. The degree of deformity for each vertebra was analyzed in terms of the number of standard deviations (SD) that ratio differed from the mean ratio calculated for the same vertebral level in this population. We correlated the severity of each woman's worst vertebral deformity with back pain, back disability in six activities of daily living, and height loss since age 25. Only 39.4% of the cohort had no vertebral deformity; 10.2% had a deformity greater than or equal to 4 SD. Vertebral deformities less than 4 SD below the mean were not associated with increased back pain, disability, or loss of height. In contrast, women whose deformity was greater than or equal to 4 SD had a 1.9 (95% CI, 1.5-2.4) times higher risk of moderate to severe back pain and a 2.6 (95% CI, 1.7-3.9) times higher risk of disability involving the back; they were also 2.5 (95% CI, 2.0-3.2) times more likely to have lost greater than or equal to 4 cm in height. All three types of vertebral deformity (wedge, end plate, and crush) were equally associated with these outcomes. Multiple deformities less than 4 SD did not increase the likelihood of these three outcomes, but multiple deformities greater than or equal to 4 SD tended to be associated with increased back pain, disability, and height loss. This large cross-sectional study suggests that vertebral deformities cause substantial pain, disability, or loss of height only if vertebral height ratios fall 4 SD below the normal mean. Much back pain could not be attributed to vertebral deformities, suggesting other causes.

Aged↗

PubMed1993

Serum concentrations of type I and III procollagen propeptides in healthy children and girls with central precocious puberty during treatment with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog and cyproterone acetate.

Serum levels of type I and III procollagen propeptides (s-PICP and s-PIIINP) were measured in 466 healthy school children and in 23 girls with central precocious puberty (CPP) during GnRH analog and cyproterone acetate therapy, using two commercially available RIAs. In normal children, s-PICP and s-PIIINP changed significantly with age and pubertal development stages. For s-PIIINP, a peak was seen at 12 yr for girls and 13 yr for boys; no peak could be discerned for s-PICP. The prepubertal (Tanner stage 1) s-PICP value (mean +/- SD) for girls was 374 +/- 132 micrograms/L, the midpubertal value (stage 3) was 442 +/- 135 micrograms/L, and the postpubertal value (stage 5) was 203 +/- 103 micrograms/L. The mean s-PIIINP levels for girls were 9.1 +/- 2.4, 15.0 +/- 4.3, and 6.8 +/- 3.1 micrograms/L, respectively. For boys, levels were 362 +/- 119, 544 +/- 138, and 359 +/- 256 micrograms/L for s-PICP and 8.5 +/- 2.2, 14.5 +/- 5.0, and 8.6 +/- 3.8 micrograms/L for s-PIIINP (P < 0.001 for both propeptides in both boys and girls). There was, however, a large variation in normal values for both propeptides within the age groups and pubertal stages. There was a significant correlation of s-PICP and s-PIIINP levels to height velocity in girls (r = 0.35; P < 0.001 and r = 0.33; P < 0.001, respectively), while in boys, only s-PIIINP showed significant correlation to height velocity (r = 0.40; P < 0.001). In untreated girls with CPP, serum levels of s-PIIINP were elevated [PIIINP SD score (SDS), 2.13]. Levels of s-PICP were normal (PICP SDS, 0.39). Levels of both propeptides decreased within 2 months after initiation of therapy and remained below initial values (P < 0.01). The decrease in s-PIIINP after 2 months of therapy showed a significant correlation with the fall in height velocity SDS for chronological age after 6 months of therapy (r = 0.64; P < 0.01). We conclude that s-PIIINP and, to a lesser degree, s-PICP reflect growth in normal children, but due to the large variation, both propeptides seem unsuitable as markers for screening of growth disorders in children.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2006

[Hospitalizations due to falls in the childhood population of northern Israel: a comparison between the years 1993-1995 and 2002-2004].

Previous studies showed that falls from height are a major cause of morbidity in children who live in northern Israel. These studies demonstrated major differences in injury severity between Arab and Jewish children, and noted that more children from the Arab sector were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The objective of this study was to compare the hospitalization rates at Rambam Medical Center in the years 1993-1995 and 2002-2004, and to evaluate selected demographic characteristics of these hospitalizations. We found that the total number of falls increased significantly during the years 2002-2004, and that a dramatic increase in the number of admission to ICU was notable among the Jewish population. These findings suggest that injury prevention programs should be implemented urgently on a national level.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed1976

Landing from an unexpected fall and a voluntary step.

The electromyographic (EMG) response of soleus to a sudden fall has previously been shown to consist of two peaks of activity, the first a response to release, and the second in relation to landing (Greenwood and Hopkins, 1976). We have now examined activity in soleus during falls at various reduced accelerations. The amplitude of the first peak is proportional to acceleration and is not present during falls at accelerations of less than about 2-0 ms-2. The timing of the second peak is related to the timing of landing whether the duration of the fall depends upon the height or upon the acceleration of the fall. Its timing depends upon knowledge of the height of the fall, rather than to ongoing visual information, and upon labyrinthine function. EMG activity in soleus was also examined during voluntary downward steps which could be unexpectedly increased in height. The moment of landing is preceded by an increase of EMG activity and is followed by a number of peaks of activity. These peaks were not seen after the moment of expected landing during unexpectedly lengthened steps and thus probably represent reflex activity due to the mechanical event of landing.

Acceleration↗

PubMed1992

[Injuries of the cervical vertebrae with pathological changes caused by the degenerative process].

The problems related to injuries of the cervical spine with advances degenerative changes are discussed. The most frequent causes of these injuries were falls from height and traffic accidents. In the whole group of 185 patients most were aged over 50 years, and the lower part of the cervical spine was injured most frequently, with the extension mechanism being the usual force in the injury. Nearly half the cases (45%) had complete paralysis including the most severe form of partial injury.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2006

[Posttraumatic Chance fracture of the cervical spine in a case with ankylosing spondylitis: a case report].

Spinal fractures can occur after minor traumas due to the fragility of osseous or ligamentous structures of the spine in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. They are usually seen in the thoracolumbar region of the spine. However, the cervical region is an extremely rare location for these fractures. We present a 52-year-old male with ankylosing spondilitis who had complaints of weakness in the lower extremities and difficulty with walking after a fall from height. Neurologic examination revealed a progressive loss of motor function. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a Chance fracture at the fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae. We performed a one-stage anterior cervical fusion and stabilization with posterior decompression. Postoperatively, there was a progressive neurologic improvement. However, the patient died due to pulmonary failure at the seventh day postoperatively.

Accidental Falls↗