Bicycle handlebar injuries in Western Australia: from imprints to abdominal wall hernias

Gera, Parshotam K; Barker, Andrew P; Gollow, Ian; Orford, Jillian; Wicks, Sue; Whan, Liz

doi:10.5694/j.1326-5377.2008.tb02037.x

Topics

To the Editor: In bicycle accidents, direct impact with the bicycle handlebar can cause serious abdominal injuries. These injuries occur not only in high-speed collisions, where the rider is thrown from the bicycle, but also in low-speed crashes, where the bicycle handlebar strikes the rider in the abdomen or pelvic region.1

1 Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, WA.
2 Kidsafe WA, Department of Health, Perth, WA.

Correspondence: gerapk@rediffmail.com

1. Nadler EP, Potoka DA, Shultz BL, et al. The high morbidity associated with handlebar injuries in children. J Trauma 2005; 58: 1171-1174.
2. Clarnette TD, Beasley SW. Handlebar injuries in children: patterns and prevention. Aust N Z J Surg 1997; 67: 338-339.
3. Selby CD. Direct abdominal hernia of traumatic origin. JAMA 1906; 47: 1485-1486.
4. Iinuma Y, Yamazaki Y, Hirose Y, et al. A case of traumatic abdominal wall hernia that could not be identified until exploratory laparoscopy was performed. Pediatr Surg Int 2005; 21: 54-57.
5. Haimovici L, Papafragkou S, Keesler E, et al. Handlebar hernia: traumatic abdominal wall hernia with multiple enterotomies. A case report and review of literature. J Pediatr Surg 2007; 42: 567-569.

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