Open AccessRising Trend of “Veil Entanglement Injuries” in Northern Ghana: A Case Series
Author(s) -
Alexis Buunaaim,
Anwar Sadat Seidu,
Mohammed Issah Suglo Bukari,
John Abanga Alatiga,
Kouakou Emile Tano,
Tolgou Yempabe
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of orthopaedic case reports
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2321-3817
pISSN - 2250-0685
DOI - 10.13107/jocr.2021.v11.i05.2194
Subject(s) - medicine , head and neck , torso , clothing , surgery , medical emergency , archaeology , geography , anatomy
Veils are thin garments that are worn over the head, wrapped round the neck, and left hanging loosely over the torso up to the thighs. They are also known as scarf or “dupatta.” Veils can get entangled in spokes of motorbikes or in belt-driven machinery resulting in a variety of life-threating injuries.Case Reports: We report nine major cases of veil entanglement injuries (VEI) that presented to the Orthopedic Unit of Tamale Teaching Hospital from July 10, 2017 to June 12, 2020. All the patients were females with ages ranging from 5-months to 44-year. All the accidents involved either a motorbike or auto rickshaw. Head, neck, and extremity injuries were the most common. Eight out of nine patients had circumferential neck bruise referred to as “veil sign” in this report. One patient died.Conclusion: The rising trend of VEI is alarming among women in Northern Ghana. We recommend widespread public education and awareness creation. We also recommend modification of traffic regulations by policy makers to avert this avoidable injury.Keywords: “Dupatta,” long scarf injuries, “Isadora Duncan syndrome,” veil injuries.