Hand Surgeons Warn of Pumpkin Carving Dangers
Use caution during the Halloween season, and take steps to prevent hand injuries when carving.
“Every Halloween season we see four or five patients—both adults and children—who come into our office with severe injuries to their hands and fingers,” says Jeffrey Wint, MD, an ASSH member from The Hand Center of Western Massachusetts,
To prevent hand injuries, the ASSH suggests the following safety tips
Carve at a Clean, Dry, Well-lit Area
Wash and thoroughly dry all of the tools that you will use to carve the pumpkin: carving tools, knife, cutting surface, and your hands. Any moisture on your tools, hands, or table can cause slipping that can lead to injuries.
Always Have Adult Supervision
“All too often we see adolescent patients with injuries because adults feel the kids are responsible enough to be left on their own,” says Wint. “Even though the carving may be going great, it only takes a second for an injury to occur.”
Leave the Carving to Adults
Never let children do the carving. Wint suggests letting kids draw a pattern on the pumpkin and have them be responsible for cleaning out the inside pulp and seeds. When the adults do start cutting, they should always cut away from themselves and cut in small, controlled strokes.
Sharper is not Better
“A sharper knife is not necessarily better because it often becomes wedged in the thicker part of the pumpkin, requiring force to remove it,” says Wint. “An injury can occur if your hand is in the wrong place when the knife finally dislodges from the thick skin of the pumpkin. Injuries are also sustained when the knife slips and comes out the other side of the pumpkin where your hand may be holding it steady.”
Use a Pumpkin Carving Kit
Special pumpkin carving kits are available in stores and include small serrated pumpkin saws that work better because they are less likely to get stuck in the thick pumpkin tissue. “If they do get jammed and then wedged free, they are not sharp enough to cause a deep, penetrating cut,” says Wint.
Help for a Pumpkin Carving Injury
Should you cut your finger or hand, bleeding from minor cuts will often stop on their own by applying direct pressure to the wound with a clean cloth. If continuous pressure does not slow or stop the bleeding after 15 minutes, an emergency room visit may be required.
Dr. Wint is a Hand Surgeon who is currently in practice in
Mano Cirujanos advierten de Pumpkin Carving Peligros
Tenga cuidado durante la temporada de Halloween, y tomar medidas para prevenir lesiones en la mano cuando la talla.
"Cada temporada de Halloween, vemos cuatro o cinco pacientes, adultos y niños-que vienen a nuestra oficina con graves heridas en las manos y los dedos", dice Jeffrey Wint, MD, miembro ASSH de The Hand Center del Oeste de Massachusetts, Springfield, MA. "El tratamiento a menudo puede ejecutar tres o cuatro meses desde el momento de la cirugía a través de la rehabilitación".
Para evitar lesiones en la mano, la ASSH sugiere los siguientes consejos
Esculpido en un limpio, seco y bien iluminado
Lave y seque todas las herramientas que utilizará para esculpir la calabaza: las herramientas de talla, un cuchillo, corte la superficie, y sus manos. Cualquier humedad en las herramientas, manos o mesa puede provocar caídas que pueden conducir a lesiones.
Siempre tienen Supervisión de Adultos
"Con demasiada frecuencia vemos pacientes adolescentes con lesiones porque los adultos se sienten los niños están lo suficientemente responsables
Deja la talla para adultos
Nunca deje que los niños hacen la talla. Wint sugiere dejar los niños dibujar un patrón de la calabaza y hacer que se encargará de la limpieza de la pulpa interior y semillas. Cuando los adultos se inician el corte, que siempre deben cortar de sí mismos y cortadas en pequeños trazos controlados.
Sharper no es mejor
"Un agudo cuchillo no es necesariamente mejor, porque a menudo queda atascado en la parte más gruesa de la calabaza, que requiere la fuerza para eliminar", dice Wint. "Una lesión puede ocurrir si su mano es en el lugar equivocado cuando el cuchillo finalmente desaloja de la piel gruesa de la calabaza. Las lesiones son también sufrió cuando el cuchillo se desliza y sale por el otro lado de la calabaza en la mano puede ser la celebración firme. "
Utilice un kit de Carving Pumpkin
De calabaza Especial kits de talla están disponibles en las tiendas y son pequeñas sierras dentadas de calabaza que funcionan mejor porque son menos propensos a trabarse en el tejido de calabaza de espesor. "Si lo hacen se producen embotellamientos y, a continuación cuña libre, no son lo suficientemente aguda
Ayuda para una lesión Carving Pumpkin
Si se corta un dedo o la mano, sangrando de cortes de menor importancia con frecuencia se detiene en su propia aplicando presión directa sobre la herida con un paño limpio. Si la presión continua no frenar o detener el sangrado después de 15 minutos, una visita a la sala de emergencia que sean necesarios.
Dr. Wint es un cirujano de la mano que se encuentra actualmente en la práctica en
Copyright © Sociedad Americana de Cirugía de la Mano de 2009. Modified for this blog
No comments:
Post a Comment
IMPORTANT PLEASE READ. BEFORE POSTING A COMMENT HERE READ THIS
This blog is for information ony and should not be used for questions regarding current patients of the Hand Center of Western Massachusetts in Springfield MA. There is no way to guarantee confidentiality or timely response. No comments here should substitute or be taken as personal advice from a health care provider or any person or entity with whom the reader , poster questioner has a relationship with. These topics are for informational use only and you should read this and any other information for interest only. Any medical decisions should be made after discussing it with family, friends and your own healthcare provider... and this blog should not be used in place of those traditional resources.
AGAIN ask questions, post comments, discuss, but this is not a way to deliver personal health advice. Only your doctor woith whom you have a personal relationship can offer you that.
AGAIN If you are a current patient of the Hand Center and you have a acute current, recent or even an old question of concern CALL THE OFFICE.