Abstract des Autors

In the years from 1995 to 1997 6000 patients following alpine skiing trauma, and 1700 patients following snowboard trauma were seen at the department for trauma surgery of the University hospital in Innsbruck. 264 (4.4%) alpine skiers and 63 (3.7%) snowboarders suffered a brain injury, with or without an accompanying injury. Commotio cerebri was diagnosed in 240 (91%) alpine skiers and 57 (90.5%) snowboarders. The remaining brain injuries were twelve epidural hematomas (4.5%), three subdural hematomas (1.1%), three intracerebral hematomas (1.1%), and six subarachnoidal hematomas (1.1%) in the skiers. In the snowboarders three epidural hematomas (4.7%), and three contusions of the brain (4.7%) were found. Severe accompanying injuries were found in 75 skiers, these were 33 injuries of the trunk (12.5%), 30 injuries of upper extremities (11.4%), and twelve injuries of lower extremities (4.5%). In 15 snowboarders six accompanying injuries were found at the trunk (9.5%), three at upper extremities (4.5%), and six at lower extremities (9.5%). Alpine skiers had a total of 16% more brain injuries in comparison to snowboarders. The small amount of patients who suffered sever brain injuries while skiing or snowboarding was nearly equal in both groups. Verf.-Referat