Kew T, Noakes T D, Kettles A N, Goedeke R E, Newton D A, Scher A T
Department of Physiology, University of Cape Town.
S Afr Med J. 1991 Aug 3;80(3):127-33.
A retrospective study was undertaken to determine aetiological factors for 117 catastrophic neck injuries in rugby players admitted to the Spinal Cord Unit, Conradie Hospital, Cape Town, between 1963 and 1989. Nineteen of these players were known to be dead; the files of another 10 were missing. Questionnaires were sent to the remaining 88 players and 52 responded (59%). Their data were supplemented with information obtained from the medical records of the patients who did not respond. The annual number of admissions increased dramatically after 1976 with 83% of all injuries occurring after that date. A further increase since 1984 contrasts with a falling incidence of these injuries in Britain, Australia and New Zealand. Increased risk of injury was related to the following factors: 98% of injuries occurred in matches and 81% were incurred by adults; 69% of injuries occurred in age-group A team or senior first team players; and 57% of injuries occurred in the tackle situation and 39% in scrums, rucks and mauls. Hooker, centre and flyhalf were the playing positions at greatest risk. Injuries were more common in early season matches and again after the mid-season break. This study confirmed that spinal cord injuries occur under predictable circumstances and are therefore foreseeable and preventable. The high incidence of these injuries in the Cape Province is as unacceptable today as it was when first reported in 1977.
我们进行了一项回顾性研究，以确定1963年至1989年间入住开普敦康拉迪医院脊髓科的117名橄榄球运动员发生灾难性颈部损伤的病因。已知其中19名运动员死亡；另有10名运动员的档案丢失。我们向其余88名运动员发送了调查问卷，52人回复（59%）。他们的数据得到了未回复患者病历信息的补充。1976年后入院人数急剧增加，83%的损伤发生在该日期之后。自1984年以来的进一步增加与英国、澳大利亚和新西兰这些损伤发生率的下降形成对比。受伤风险增加与以下因素有关：98%的损伤发生在比赛中，81%由成年人遭受；69%的损伤发生在A组年龄组球队或一线成年队球员身上；57%的损伤发生在擒抱情况下，39%发生在争球、ruck和maul中。钩球员、中锋和飞卫是受伤风险最高的比赛位置。损伤在赛季初的比赛中以及赛季中期休息后再次出现更为常见。这项研究证实脊髓损伤发生在可预测的情况下，因此是可预见和可预防的。这些损伤在开普省的高发生率如今与1977年首次报道时一样令人无法接受。
