Central liver hematomas caused by mountain-bike crashes

Background: Mountain biking, one of the most popular sports in recent years with more than 10 million riders, is implicated more and more in severe bi ke accidents with complicated injuries. In addition to head injuries, which are common and account for most of the fatalities, we have observed an inc rease in liver trauma over the years. Method: Approximately 19 000 bike associated accidents were reported in 199 8 in Austria. A total of 52 patients were admitted to our trauma ward betwe en 1995 and 1997 with mountain-bike associated injuries. Of the 52, eight p resented with subcapsular hematoma of the liver sustained by falling while riding. In all patients, nonoperative management was successful. These inju ries were associated with a special form of bar-ends used on the mountain-b ikes. After a broad response from the industry, facilitated by many article s in newspapers, life-style magazines, radio and television stations, this type of bar end has nearly vanished from the market. Results: As a result, in 1998, only one case of liver injury was observed, and from 1999 to August 2000, no such injuries have been reported thus far. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.