"Outbreak" of Hand Injuries During Hajj Festivities in Saudi Arabia

Pediatric hand surgeons in Europe and North America are aware of the yearly "outbreak" of pediatric hand injuries on Halloween from carving pumpkins. This study reports another yearly "outbreak" of hand injuries--in Saudi Arabia from slaughtering sheep. During the 3 days of festivities following the Hajj ceremony, hundreds of thousands of sheep are slaughtered. Over 4 consecutive years, 298 patients attended the emergency room of Riyadh Central Hospital with injuries related to the slaughtering of animals sustained during the 3 days of festivity. Almost three quarters of patients (73%) were injured on the first day of festivity. The majority (92%) were nonprofessionals. Children accounted for 6.7% of patients. In adults, the female-to-male ratio was 1:7. The most common mechanism of injury was a knife cut (80.9%). Almost three quarters of injuries (73.5%) affected the hands, with more involvement of the left than the right hand. Only 7.7% of patients with hand injuries were admitted to the hospital for treatment. It was concluded that implementing safety measures while slaughtering, and educating the general population would be important in the prevention of these hand injuries in Saudi Arabia.