Seat belt injury to the female breast: review and discussion of its surgical management

With the use of the three‐point lap–diagonal seat belt restraint, there has been a reduction in the number of deaths caused by automobile trauma. However, a new pattern of injury has emerged, the ‘seat‐belt syndrome’, which comprises a constellation of injuries including soft tissue injury to the br...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:ANZ journal of surgery 2010-01, Vol.80 (1-2), p.71-74
Main Authors: Paddle, Alenka M., Morrison, Wayne A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
breast
Breast - injuries
Breasts
Female
Females
Humans
Injuries
mammaplasty
Mammaplasty - methods
Pregnancy
seat belt
Seat belts
Seat Belts - adverse effects
Surgery
Traffic accidents & safety
wound and injury
Wounds, Nonpenetrating - etiology
Wounds, Nonpenetrating - surgery
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Summary:With the use of the three‐point lap–diagonal seat belt restraint, there has been a reduction in the number of deaths caused by automobile trauma. However, a new pattern of injury has emerged, the ‘seat‐belt syndrome’, which comprises a constellation of injuries including soft tissue injury to the breast. Given that seat belt legislation is becoming more widespread, it is likely that the incidence and reporting of these injuries will become more common. In this paper, we provide an overview of the varied clinical and radiological presentations, and suggested management of seat belt injury to the female breast. The consequences of such injury can be severe in their functional, psychosocial and aesthetic impact, and thus, using an index case as an example, the previously unreported area of breast reconstruction in a breast deformed as a result of blunt trauma is discussed, highlighting some of its challenges.
ISSN:1445-1433
1445-2197
DOI:10.1111/j.1445-2197.2009.05178.x