Soccer injuries in Saudi Arabia

Soccer injuries which were seen at the King Fahd University Hospital over a period of 12 months were analyzed. The majority of the patients were under 20 years of age. Two-thirds of the injuries involved soft tissue, while those to the bone and joint comprised one-third. The lower extremity was involved in 59%. Sixteen percent of the injuries were considered severe enough to require inpatient treatment. We feel the high incidence of injuries can be reduced by better guidance and coaching at school and other training levels. At present, these patients are seen in the emergency room of our hospital and subsequently in the orthopaedic and fracture clinics. A specialized sports injury clinic staffed with medical and paramedical personnel with special interest in sports medicine would enable early and effective treatment returning athletes to play without undue delay.     

Self-reported needlestick injuries in dental health care workers at Armed Forces Hospital Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The objective of the present study was to assess the incidence of sharps/needlestick injuries among dental health care workers (DHCWs) at Armed Forces Hospital Riyadh. A questionnaire was distributed among all dental staff, including dentists, hygienists, and dental surgery assistants. Results show that 65 individuals (58%) had sharps/needlestick injuries, and of these, more than half did not report these injuries to the appropriate department. At the time of injury, the majority of the DHCWs were vaccinated or immune, but a few of them were not vaccinated against hepatitis B virus. This study concludes that every DHCW should be immunized against hepatitis B virus to avoid cross-infection from sharps/needlestick injuries, which are quite common in a dental practice. The high frequency of these injuries could be reduced by simple interventions.     

Firearm fatalities in Dammam, Saudi Arabia

This paper provides a database representing injury mortality in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, with the aim of establishing a system which will record information about the incidence of such deaths, identify new trends and give priority to violence prevention. The retrospective study was carried out on 64 fatalities from gunfire injuries at the Forensic Medicine Centre in Dammam, Saudi Arabia during the period from January 2002 - December 2006. The deaths included 55 cases of homicide, seven cases of suicide and two accidental shootings. Twenty-six victims were aged between 16-30 years and 24 victims were between 31-45 years. Fifty-nine of the cases were male. A handgun was the weapon used in 49 cases. The most common sites for the firearm entrance wounds were the head (45 cases) and the chest (35 cases). In the majority of cases (56.3%) a single shot was fired while in 15.6% of cases there were two shots. In 51.5% of cases no bullet was recovered from the body while a single bullet was recovered in 31.5% and two bullets in 6.2% of the cases. Distant range fire was observed in 65.6% of cases. Exit wounds were found on the head in 36.7% and on the chest in 28.7% of cases. The majority of victims were young males living in urban areas. This result should help in forming a strategy to improve the livelihoods of this group. The low incidence of alcohol abuse (one case, 1.56%) and only three cases (4.68%) of amphetamine abuse is significant.     

Sports injuries and society.

Injuries are classified and examples of the ways in which they can arise are given. Treatment, rehabilitation and the value of exercise are considered. A review of the effects of increasing leisure time and sports have been given, the value of legislation, education, protective clothing and close supervision in preventing the occurrence of injuries in sport is discussed.     

Feasibility of using ultrasound in ambulances in Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUNDIn developed countries, the economic feasibility of using ultrasound in ambulances before arriving at the hospital has been achieved through comprehensive studies, and this of course does not apply to Arab countries, as there are no current studies to support this. Therefore, this study is a preliminary measure of the economic feasibility of using ultrasound in ambulances in Saudi Arabia.AIMTo measure the demand for ultrasound equipment in ambulances in Saudi Arabia.METHODSA cross-sectional study of five different groups of participants including radiation technologists, emergency physicians, paramedics, Red Crescent managers and the public. Email and social media were used to deliver a questionnaire to these groups. The questionnaire included specific questions to measure the purpose of ultrasound use in each group of participants.RESULTSEach group had some knowledge on ultrasound and its benefits. More than 50% in each study group supported the availability of ultrasound in ambulances. Additionally, 60% of emergency physicians reported that they had difficulties in venous access, checking the presence of internal bleeding, recognizing pregnancy in trauma cases, and inserting endotracheal tubes, and the majority of them confirmed the effective role of ultrasound in achieving such tasks. Almost all paramedics (93.33%), physicians (98.89%), and Saudi Red Crescent managers (96.3%) emphasized the importance of communication between ambulance staff and emergency departments. Moreover, most physicians (77.78%), and technologists (82.73%) supported the presence of paramedics in ambulances to operate ultrasound in order to improve patient outcomes.CONCLUSIONMost of the study groups evaluated had knowledge on ultrasound and supported the presence of ultrasound devices in ambulances.     

Hanging deaths in Dammam,Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

A retrospective study was carried out on 133 suicidal hanging cases autopsied at Forensic Medicine Center in Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (from 2003 to 2007). Of these cases, 115 (86.46%) were males and 18 females (13.54%), with an average male:female ratio of 6.38. There was an increasing trend of hanging among ages between 21 and 50 years (88.7%), and the fourth decade had the highest number of victims (about 36%) between all age groups.Local Saudi nationals comprised a small proportion of cases (21 persons, 15.8%), while the others were foreigners working in the Kingdom with an Indian precedence (63 persons, 47.4%), followed by other 11 different nationalities representing 36.8% of the cases. The peak of these suicidal acts was in June and the least was in February and December. Postmortem blood alcohol was found in 6.76% of cases, amphetamine in 3% (4 cases), and cannabinoids in 2.25% (3 cases). About 75% of the deceased persons were male laborers (100 cases), 11.27% were female housemaids (15 cases), and only 13 persons were unemployed (9.77%). Previous history of psychological illnesses was documented in 19 cases (14.28%) and stressful family problems in 6% of cases. There were previous suicidal attempts in only one case. Suicidal note was found in only seven cases.In conclusion, there was a decreasing trend of suicide by hanging in Dammam from 39 cases in 2003 to 17 cases in 2007, with a rate of 0.85/100,000 population in the last year. This was inconsistent with the overall increase in suicide rate in Dammam when compared to the previous decade.     

Sports causing most injuries in Hong Kong.

A prospective survey was carried out on 2293 patients attending the Sports Injury Clinic in the Prince of Wales Hospital between May 1984 and December 1990. A Sports Injury Report Form was completed for each patient. Subjects in this study represent a group of nonprofessional and non-élite athletes in a metropolitan area. Soccer, basketball, volleyball, long-distance running and cycling in descending order were the five most common sports causing injury. Different sports produced different injury patterns. In four of the five sports, the knee (27.27-50.47%) and the ankle (16.78-24.67%) were the commonest sites of injury. In cycling, the face (19.46%) was the commonest site of injury. There was a higher injury rate to the lower than the upper limb in soccer, basketball, volleyball and long-distance running, with a ratio of upper- to lower-limb injury ranging from 1:1.13 to 1:46.10. In cycling, upper limb injury was more frequent (upper- to lower-limb injury ratio was 1:0.53). Sprain was the commonest injury overall (44.60%). It was also the commonest injury condition in volleyball (55.15%), basketball (55.34%), soccer (51.41%) and long-distance running (39.33%). In cycling, abrasion (24.83%) was commonest.     

Casualty management: scud missile attack, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

On the evening of February 25, 1991, an Iraqi scud missile plunged into a "barracks/warehouse" used to house U.S. Army soldiers assigned to the 475th Quartermaster Group in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. As a consequence of this scud attack, 28 soldiers died, 110 were hospitalized, and 150 experienced minor physical injuries and/or subsequent mental health problems. This one scud's impact accounted for more than one-third of all U.S. soldiers killed during the war. Fortunately, there were very few "models" of mass casualty experiences during the Persian Gulf War to evaluate the critical clinical outcomes to the soldiers. An analysis of this event has important implications for future military operations that feature a multinational medical force structure. This article summarizes the medical preparations before the war, the key, chronological events, and the medical outcomes of the mass casualty event. Lessons learned in casualty management for future Army contingency medical planners are identified.     

Factors affecting reporting of suspected child maltreatment in Saudi Arabia

Child maltreatment is a global issue. Child maltreatment can take many forms including neglect, physical abuse, emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. The aim of this review is to determine different factors that influence the lack of reporting of child maltreatment in Saudi Arabia. This paper classified these factors into barriers related to the cultural impact, healthcare practitioners, the abused children, and policy making. The cultural influence was manifested in the stigma around reporting due to lack of understanding of what child abuse is, perceiving it as a parental right to discipline a child, misunderstanding the Islamic laws, and diminished understanding of the long- and short-term consequences of child abuse. Healthcare professionals and students of healthcare specialties revealed not reporting suspected child maltreatment due to uncertainty of the occurrence of abuse, lack of knowledge on the matter, considering injuries to be unworthy of reporting, unawareness of protocols, prior negative experience after reporting, and the absence of strict legal consequences of not reporting. Abused children were found to rarely report maltreatment to authorities due to a variety of reasons such as lack of confidence, fear of breaking up their family, or being unaware of the occurrence of maltreatment in the first place. Saudi Arabia's public regulations do not specify when a physician should be concerned about improper conduct regarding child maltreatment. It is recommended that Saudi Arabia organizes child maltreatment awareness campaigns, intensifies the training of healthcare professionals, and sets precise mandatory reporting legislations. Child maltreatment is a problem that affects the society as a unit. Therefore, it mandates the collaboration of the whole community to eliminate this medico-social issue.     

Pediatric poisoning deaths in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review

Poisons are potentially harmful substances that can cause damage to the human body. Children are a vulnerable group to poisoning. This article aims to review the deaths due to poisoning among children in Saudi Arabia. A comprehensive search was conducted on 13 January 2022 using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases to identify articles that reported on pediatric poisoning deaths in Saudi Arabia. Eight articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. Some articles included one city, for instance, Jeddah or Riyadh, while others included different regions of the country. Children got poisoned most commonly at their homes by accidental ingestion. The common substances that caused fatality included drugs and pesticides. Low caregiver awareness and neglect were recognized as risk factors for pediatric poisoning. Further studies should be conducted to provide comprehensive details about the victims, the poisons involved, and the circumstances of pediatric poisonings in Saudi Arabia at the national and sub-national levels. Public awareness campaigns should be organized to raise community awareness about safety measures and risks of neglect to prevent pediatric poisonings.     

Sports injuries in school-aged children. An epidemiologic study

In November 1982, epidemiologic data were collected in a unique, large scale, population-based survey on sports injuries in school-aged children living in Holland. A total of 7,468 pupils, aged 8 to 17, completed questionnaires covering a retrospective period of 6 weeks. Seven hundred ninety-one sports injuries were registered, amounting to an incidence of 10.6 sports injuries per 100 participants. In 31% of the cases, medical consultation was needed. Injuries incurred during the study period caused 36% of the children to miss one or more physical education classes and caused 6% to miss school for at least 1 day. Contusions and sprains were the most common lesions (77%). Three of four injuries involved the lower extremity, in particular the ankle. Sixty-two percent of all the injuries occurred in organized sports, 21% in physical education classes, and 17% in unsupervised sports activities. The highest injury rates were found in basketball and field hockey. In this study population, 15 and 16-year-old boys who had a high sports activity index and played team sports, particularly contact team sports, formed a high risk group.     

Sports injuries survey on university students in Hong Kong.

A sports injuries survey was conducted among 1714 students of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. The common sports involved in injuries were Soccer (26%), Basketball (18%), Cycling (11%), Track and field athletics (11%) and Swimming (10%). The lower limb usually took the brunt of the injuries (67%) followed by the upper limb (28%) and spinal injuries were relatively uncommon (3%). The majority of the injuries were mild to moderate and the commonest ones were abrasion (37%), contusion (21%), cramp (20%), sprains (9%), and strains (7%). Of the injuries 80% recovered in less than 10 days and 50% of them were self-treated. However, a significant group of more severe injuries was recorded: fracture, concussion and heat stroke which demanded special medical attention and longer period for recovery. The pattern of treatment was also unique in that traditional Chinese methods of treatment were sought more frequently than special orthopaedic advice. The preventive aspects of sports injuries was not well recognised with only 40% of the students regularly practising warm-up exercises, 18% stretching exercises and 4% using protective aids. More educational programmes and studies were indicated. The set up of a sports injury clinic is recommended with the utilisation of a sports injury reporting system.     

Obstetric and gynecologic malpractice claims in Saudi Arabia: Incidence and cause

IntroductionThe occurrence of a bad outcome, injury or death of a patient during treatment increases the chance of malpractice litigation, increases legal responsibility and leads to increased fees for malpractice insurance. Physicians practicing obstetrics and gynecology face among the highest risks of malpractice litigation, and such litigation has led to an increase in the practice of defensive medicine and has made this specialty less appealing. Previous clinical data from Saudi Arabia have shown that more malpractice litigation concerns claims in obstetrics and gynecology than claims in any other field of medicine.ObjectiveTo identify the main causes of obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) professional liability claims in Saudi Arabia to have a better understanding and management of risks.MethodsAll OBGYN claims opened in Saudi Arabia between 2008 and 2013 were analyzed to identify the most common causes of claims. The results of these claims and the times until a final judgment made were also analyzed.ResultsOut of a total of 463 malpractice claims that were closed during the study period, 114 (24.6%) claims were in obstetrics and gynecology, and 92 (80.7%) of these claims concerned complications related to delivery room events. The most common causes of obstetric malpractice litigation were shoulder dystocia (brachial plexus injury) and fetal distress (hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy). Urinary system injury was the most common cause of gynecology cases. Most cases were decided in favor of the defendants with the exception of cases for which maternal and/or fetal death was the cause of litigation; nearly all of those cases were decided against the defendants.ConclusionObstetricians face a high risk of malpractice claims in Saudi Arabia, although most claims do not end in payments to plaintiffs. However, the effects of such claims on obstetric care should not be underestimated. Adherence to standards of care and careful documentation may decrease litigation and the number of indefensible malpractice claims.     

Pattern of viral hepatitis infection in a selected population from Saudi Arabia

Viral hepatitis is an important health problem worldwide. Globally, three major viruses are the leading cause of hepatitis: hepatitis A, B, and C. In this study, we have investigated the pattern of hepatitis among the National Guard personnel and their extended families seen in the central region of Saudi Arabia. The most dominant type of hepatitis infection was hepatitis B virus (HBV), followed by hepatitis C virus (HCV), and to a lesser extent hepatitis A virus (HAV). Our results showed three different age groups at risk of acquiring the infection: HAV, which is mainly a disease of the young; HBV, a disease of adolescents and adults; and HCV, a disease of the elderly. There was no significant difference in the male:female ratio in HAV and HCV; however, as seen in the developed countries, more males were affected with HBV than females. These data will pave the way for further studies by identifying the risk groups for the three major hepatitis infections and by using the data as a preventive tool to educate those risk groups.