[Serious childhood accidents involving tractors].

OBJECTIVE

To review serious childhood injuries provoked by tractors in our country and to propose adequate preventative strategies.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Clinical data of eleven children admitted to our unit due to a tractor related accident have been evaluated.

RESULTS

The majority of the events occurred in males and during the summer months, resulting in polytraumatisms with the abdominal region affected in most cases. Mortality was very high (64%).

CONCLUSIONS

Accidents with tractors are a major preventable morbimortality factor in rural areas. Several preventive strategies that could reduce the incidence and severity of these injuries are proposed.