Injuries related to the Feast of Holy Sacrifice

Objective

The aim of this study is to evaluate and draw attention to sacrification injuries that occurred during the Feast of Holy Sacrifice.

Methods

Two hundred and sixty-two patients who were admitted to the emergency services in the city of Kirikkale with sacrification injuries during four consecutive Feast of Holy Sacrifice holidays between 2008 and 2011 were evaluated according to age, sex, admission day and time, experience level, type and mechanism of injury and treatment type.

Results

Average age was 43?±?14 and 83 % of were male. Only 7 patients (2.7 %) were professional butchers, while 155 patients had sacrificed previously. Eighty-three patients had not sacrificed previously and 24 patients had only witnessed sacrification. Penetrating injuries were 81 % (206 cases from knives and 6 cases from animals’ horns) and 19 % were blunt. The admittance to the EDs was highest on the first day. Upper extremity trauma constituted for 80 % of cases (n?=?209) and 197 (94 %) were hand injuries, whereas 39 patients (15 %) had lower extremity injury. While 174 patients (67 %) injuries were self-inflicted with a knife, 32 (12 %) were injured by the knife of another and 50 (21 %) were injured by animal aggression. Primary suture (155 patients), splint and tendon repairing were undertaken. No deaths occurred.

Conclusions

Sacrification injuries can sometimes be serious with the injuries consisting mainly of tendon cuts and bone fractures. Preliminary arrangements with medical staff and equipment support should be provided during the Feast of Holy Sacrifice, especially on the first day. The butchering jobs during this period should be given to professionals.