Golf cart associated traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT

Object: Although contact sport-related head injuries are frequently reported, golf cart accidents may have significant consequences including severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) or head injury. As no standardized regulations exist, this mechanism may be underreported.

Methods: A retrospective review of TBI or cranial trauma after a golf cart accident at a level I trauma center over 5 years were performed. Data regarding age, sex, race, initial Glasgow Coma Scale score, alcohol status, type and location of the injury, and outcomes were analyzed and reported in terms of Modified Rankin Scale (MRS).

Results: A total of 23 patients with TBI or cranial trauma following golf cart accident were identified. The mean age was 36 years old with the most common injury being skull fracture followed by acute subdural hematoma. Most patients had good outcomes, MRS 0–3, at discharge, but like most forms of TBI, surgical interventions, intracranial pressure monitoring, post-traumatic seizures, hydrocephalus, and death did occur.

Conclusions: Head injuries sustained by golf cart accidents are not insignificant and may be underreported. More awareness of these injuries and safety guidelines are needed.

KEYWORDS:

• Golf cart
• sports injury
• traumatic brain injury

Acknowledgments

A special thanks to the nurses and fellow University of Texas Houston Neurosurgery residents who cared for these patients and helped to accumulate the data used in to publish this article.

Declaration of Interests

The authors report no declaration of interests at the time of this publication.