Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Does the frontal airbag avoid thoracic injury?

  • Trauma Surgery
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

The airbag is an established car safety device. However, recent studies pointed out that even the airbag might cause injuries. Nevertheless, most physicians do consider a lower risk in accident victims sustaining severe injury of the chest, when a deployed frontal airbag has been reported. We set out to verify the frequency and pattern of thoracic injury in car drivers protected by a frontal airbag during traffic accidents.

Methods

This investigation was conducted as part of a prospective surveillance analyzing traffic accidents. Enrolled were car drivers included in a databank between January 2001 and December 2004 consecutively. The chance for sustaining chest injury with or without a frontal airbag was described using the relative risk.

Results

A total of 188 car drivers were included in the analysis. In 54 (28.7%) cases a deployed airbag and in 134 (71.3%) the absence of an airbag has been documented. Out of those cases 16 (29.6%) drivers with airbag and 30 (22.4%) without airbag sustained a chest injury. The mean abbreviated injury scale (AIS) of chest injuries in drivers with deployed airbag was 2.3 (1–5; SD ± 1.45; mean injury severity scale [ISS] 21.1 [SD ± 17.18]), in drivers without airbag 1.6 (1–4; SD ± 1.12; mean ISS 15.8 [SD ± 20.6]). For belted drivers with an airbag the relative risk to sustain chest injury was 1.96 compared to those without an airbag.

Conclusions

The airbag does not avoid chest injury definitively. Much more, it has been demonstrated that the relative risk to sustain relevant thoracic injury seems to be almost higher in restrained drivers with a frontal airbag.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Peden M, Scurfield R, Sleet D, Mohan D, Hyder AA, Jarawan E, Mathers C (2004) World report on road traffic injury prevention. World Health Organisation

  2. Regel G, Lobenhoffer P, Lehmann U, Pape HC, Pohlemann T, Tscherne H (1993) [Results of treatment of polytraumatized patients. A comparative analysis of 3,406 cases between 1972 and 1991]. Unfallchirurg 96(7):350–362

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Murray CJ, Lopez AD (1997) Alternative projections of mortality and disability by cause 1990–2020: Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet 349(9064):1498–1504

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Jernigan MV, Duma SM (2003) The effects of airbag deployment on severe upper extremity injuries in frontal automobile crashes. Am J Emerg Med 21(2):100–105

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Sato Y, Ohshima T, Kondo T (2002) Air bag injuries—a literature review in consideration of demands in forensic autopsies. Forensic Sci Int 128(3):162–167

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Shkrum MJ, McClafferty KJ, Nowak ES, German A (2002) Driver and front seat passenger fatalities associated with air bag deployment. Part 2: a review of injury patterns and investigative issues. J Forensic Sci 47(5):1035–1040

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Shkrum MJ, McClafferty KJ, Nowak ES, German A (2002) Driver and front seat passenger fatalities associated with air bag deployment. Part 1: a Canadian study. J Forensic Sci 47(5):1028–1034

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Stewart TC, Girotti MJ, Nikore V, Williamson J (2003) Effect of airbag deployment on head injuries in severe passenger motor vehicle crashes in Ontario, Canada. J Trauma 54(2):266–272

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. McGwin G Jr, Metzger J, Alonso JE, Rue LW III (2003) The association between occupant restraint systems and risk of injury in frontal motor vehicle collisions. J Trauma 54(6):1182–1187

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Brookes C, Wang S, McWilliams J (2003) Maxillofacial injuries in North American vehicle crashes. Eur J Emerg Med 10(1):30–34

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Cooper H, Thomas T (2004) Ocular injuries related to airbag use. Am J Emerg Med 22(2):135–137

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Lee PP, Herring S, Tan AK (2003) Automobile air-bag deployment and hearing loss. J Otolaryngol 32(4):274–279

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald, Sauerbruchstr., 17 487, Greifswald, Germany

    G. Matthes, U. Schmucker, M. Huth, A. Ekkernkamp & J. Seifert

  2. Department of Orthopedic and Trauma Surgery, Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    G. Matthes, A. Ekkernkamp & J. Seifert

  3. Department of Forensic Medicine, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany

    E. Lignitz

Authors
  1. G. Matthes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. U. Schmucker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. E. Lignitz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Huth
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. Ekkernkamp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. J. Seifert
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Matthes.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Matthes, G., Schmucker, U., Lignitz, E. et al. Does the frontal airbag avoid thoracic injury?. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 126, 541–544 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-006-0181-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-006-0181-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation