Learning objectives
To know the general features of the Running of the Bulls
To review the most frequent bull horn injuries
To recognize other potentially traumatic injuries in this activity
To explain the utility of X-ray,
Ultrasound and Multidetector CT in the initial evaluation of this kind of trauma patients
Background
The Running of the Bulls (Encierro in spanish) is held during 8 days in the Saint Fermin festival in Pamplona,
Spain (Fig. 1,
Fig. 2).
It’s a practice that involves running in front of a group of six Spanish fighting bulls (toro de lidia) and six steers,
on a course of a sectioned-off subset of the town's streets.
A set of wooden fences are erected to direct the bulls along the route and to block off side streets.
The length of the run is 875...
Findings and procedure details
MECHANISMOF INJURIES
1.Falls: the most common mechanism during the Encierro,
associated specially with limb (Fig. 6) and head trauma (Fig. 7).
2.
Stomps: bulls weight up to 600 kg,
so these injuries ussualy involve high enery trauma ( Fig. 8 ,
Fig. 9 and Fig. 10)
3.
Bull horn injuries:Despite bull horn injuries are not the most common,
probably they are the most striking.
They more frequently affect the back of the thigh,
probably because the bulls charge people who are not able to keep...
Conclusion
The Running of the Bulls is an event with important risks,
although most of the injuries are mild.
The most common injuries are limb trauma and head trauma.
Bull horn injuries are less frequent,
but they could be life threatening.
Even though pileups are uncommon,
they canprovoke a high number of serious injuries.
Despite all,
the Running of the Bulls probably is not as dangerous as one might expect.
References
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Salvador-Sanchis JL.Heridas por asta de toro en el Hospital General de Castellón.
Estudio de 387 pacientes.
Cir Esp.
2006; 80(1): 16-22.
Martínez-Ramos D,
Villegas-Cánovas C,
Rivadulla-Serrano JL,
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Cornada envainada.
Una lesión poco evidente pero devastadora.Emergencias 2007; 19: 347-9.