[Snowboarding accidents 1991 to 1994--an analysis]. / Snowboardunfälle 1991 bis 1994--Eine Analyse.

437 snowboard injuries were taken under surveilance in the years 1991 till 1994. The average age was 21.5 years. 422 (97%) injuries were caused by a crash, only 15 (3%) by a collision. 178 patients (41%) needed only one single office visit, 259 patients (59%) had to undergo longer outpatient treatment (mean 27d). Only 34 patients (8%) needed inpatient treatment with an average stay of 4.44 days. 127 patients (29%) were on sick leave for several days (mean 20.57d). The most common diagnosis was a distortion 183 (38%), followed by fractures 148 (31%) and contusions 98 (21%). The upper extremities were the predominant injury site in 51% (245) with no prevalence of left or right. The lower extremities were injured in 34% (163) with a prevalence of the left leg 2/3. Head, spine, chest and abdomen were injured in 15% (69). The typical snowboarders injury however is an injury of the wrist (182/27%). Here of 71 (39%) were fractures of the distal radius. The knee joint being the second most common injury sight in 109 (16%) cases, mainly with sprains (63p/60%), seldomly with meniscal tears and/or ligament ruptures (10p/10%) and rarely fractures (3p / 3%). The fixation of both legs during snowboarding seems to be protective against complex knee joint injuries. Other regions were injured in less than 10%.

[Radius fractures in typical sites in young patients--is it early osteoporosis?]. / Radiusfrakturen an typischer Stelle bei jungen Patientinnen--ist das frühe Osteoporose?

Fractures of the radius in premenopausal women caused by a slow speed trauma are often associated with osteoporosis. Out of 156 patients we were able to screen 26 for osteoporosis. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine and the femoral neck was compared with the age related control group. At the lumbar spine the mean decrease of BMD was 13.1% (CI 95% 8.78 to 17.4%; SEM = 2.1). The patients showed a BMD between Z = -1 and Z = -2 and 4 patients lessen than Z = -2. At the femoral neck the mean decrease of BMD was 15.8% (CI 95% 11.3 to 20.3%; SEM = 2.17). Z was between -1 and -2 in 10 patients and smaller -2 in 6 patients. There was no correlation between the number of risk factors and bone mineral decrease. All evaluated laboratory tests were within normal range. As a result of our investigation we suggest looking for osteoporosis in premenopausal women with fractures following slow speed trauma as a routine procedure to offer adequate therapy.

[Anti-arrhythmia effectiveness of potassium-magnesium-aspartate infusion]. / Antiarrhythmische Wirksamkeit von Kalium-Magnesium-Aspartat-Infusion.

In 21 patients with ventricular arrhythmias we analysed the effect of an intravenous infusion of potassium-magnesium-aspartate. It could be demonstrated that the frequency of ventricular ectopic beats significantly declined 1 hour after starting the medication. The maximum effect occurred at the 6th and 7th hour and continued until the 10th hour after starting the medication.