Helmets Reduce the Risk of Head Injury

Newswise — Helmets saved the lives of approximately 692 motorcyclists in 2002, according to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis of the National Highway Traffic Safety. If all motorcyclists had worn helmets, an additional 449 lives could have been saved. Neurosurgeons will reveal the findings of a recent study determining whether helmets help or harm adolescent motorcyclists or ATV riders during an accident, at the 72nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons in Orlando, Florida, from May 1 to 6, 2004. The study, "Central Nervous System Injuries in the Pediatric Population Secondary to Motorcycle and ATV Collisions in West Virginia: Are They Helmet Related?" will be presented during the meeting from 4:00 to 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4, 2004, by study authors Ann M. Carr, MD; Charles L. Rosen, MD, PhD; John Orphanos, BA; and Julian E. Bailes, MD.

It is reported that head and cervical spine injuries in both adults and children are the leading cause of disability and death in motorcycle and all-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents. Some recent studies have stated that helmets actually increase the risk of skull base and cervical-spine injuries secondary to the swelling of the head.

"Concern has been raised in the medical community regarding the effectiveness of helmets to prevent cervical spine and skull base injuries," said Charles L. Rosen, MD, an author of the study. "Our study was necessary to determine the safety and reliability of an adolescent wearing a helmet to prevent injury, a preventative step taken by millions of people every day."

Authors of the recent study evaluated the records of all ATV and motorcycle collisions in West Virginia involving individuals under the age of 18 from Jan. 1, 1991, to Dec. 31, 2000. The criteria reviewed for each individual were helmet use, injury and severity to the central nervous system, discharge status, blood-alcohol levels, urine toxicity, hospital stay, age and gender.

Cervical spine injuries were classified by the location of the fracture, and the presence and severity of any spinal cord injury. Data on the use of ethanol and drugs were studied. Authors found that only 8 percent (20 of 255) of motorcyclists injured were under the age of 18, and that of this group, approximately 47 percent were not wearing their helmets. In comparison, 32 percent of ATV riders were minors, and an overwhelming 79 percent were not wearing helmets.

Results of the study also revealed that 16 percent (4 of 25) of injured riders who wore a helmet had skull base and/or cervical-spine injuries, versus 23 percent (16 of 70) of non-helmeted riders. About 1 of 25 of the riders who wore a helmet had a cervical spine injury, compared to 4 of 70 riders who did not wear a helmet. The immediate cause of death in two thirds of deaths was head or neck trauma. Overall, there was a 19 percent increase in the estimated number of injuries from 1999 to 2000.

"Helmets repeatedly have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury," said Dr. Rosen. "They reduce the incidence of skull base fractures and do not increase the risk of cervical spine injuries."

Authors of the study also noted that helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 64 percent. However, even with the increasing numbers of central nervous system injuries and even fatalities, only 21 states have some form of helmet law for ATV use.

Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) is a scientific and educational association with more than 6,500 members worldwide. The AANS is dedicated to advancing the specialty of neurological surgery in order to provide the highest quality of neurosurgical care to the public. All Active members of the AANS are certified by the American Board of Neurological Surgery, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (Neurosurgery) of Canada or the Mexican Council of Neurological Surgery, AC. Neurological surgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of disorders that affect the entire nervous system including the spinal column, spinal cord, brain and peripheral nerves.