Children presenting to a Canadian hospital with trampoline-related cervical spine injuries

Abstract

Trampoline-related injuries are preventable by avoidance. There are few published reports focusing on cervical spine injuries from trampolines in the paediatric population. Patients younger than 18 years of age who presented to Stollery Children's Hospital (Edmonton, Alberta) between 1995 and 2006, with a cervical spine injury or death from trampoline use were identified via a medical records database search. Data were collected retrospectively from the hospital charts, and were presented using descriptive statistics. There were seven cases of cervical spine injury secondary to trampoline use. Four patients had lasting neurological deficits at discharge from hospital, and another patient died at the scene due to refractory cardiac arrest. Injuries were sustained both on (n=5) and off (n=2) the trampoline mat from mechanisms that included attempted somersaults on the trampoline and falls from the trampoline. All the trampolines were privately owned home trampolines. An ambulance was called for five patients, intravenous fluids were administered to two patients with hypotension and spinal shock, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed on one patient. All six patients surviving the initial injury were admitted to hospital for a mean +/- SD of 9.5+/-9.0 days. These six patients underwent imaging including x-rays, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and three patients required surgery for spinal stabilization. Cervical spine injuries from trampolines lead to severe neurological sequelae, death, hospitalization and significant resource use. The authors agree with the Canadian Paediatric Society's statement that trampolines should not be used for recreational purposes at home, and they support a ban on all paediatric use of trampolines.