Severe farm machinery injuries to children--a report on 15 cases.

Fifteen children with 24 farm injuries were admitted to our institution during a 12 years period. Ten accidents occurred in boys and five in girls. They ranged in age from 1 to 15. The cause of fatal and non-fatal injury was farm machinery and especially tractor in 9/15. Fractures, lacerations and amputations were the most common injuries requiring multiple reconstructive surgical procedures. The magnitude of the problem requires emergency management in rural areas. However, educational programs with an emphasis on prevention by physicians, family members, educators and legislators is necessary to reduce the incidence of farm accidents.

[Our experience with vertebral grafts in the surgery of recent severe fractures of the dorsolumbar spine]. / Notre expérience des greffes vertébrales dans la chirurgie des fractures graves récentes du rachis dorso-lombaire.

The authors report their experience of spine fusion in the management of fracture dislocations of the thoracic and lumbar spine. In a series of over a hundred surgical stabilization, plate instrumentation alone was orthopedically unsuccessful in 20% of cases after plate removal. Instrumentation is but a tutor, whereas spine fusion is an element which brings definite spine stability. Clinical and roentgenographie results are given. Based on the different types of spine injuries, indication are discussed as well as surgical approach and technique with a possible association of several methods applied to the same patient.