Cervical injuries related to strangulation by scarfs, saari or turbans, took in motorcycle wheels.

Abstract

Introduction
The entrapment of cloths (scarves, turbans, veils or wraps) worn on the neck or head, in the wheel of twowheeled vehicles, is a rare mechanism of trauma involving the cervical spine in Mali. In addition to strangulation, severe spinal and cranial injuries can be life-threatening and functionally challenging.
Methods
We report here a series of 6 patients with cervical injuries, whose cause was of scarves, turbans, veils or scarves in the wheel of two-wheeled machines over the period from January 2016 to January 2019. Other causes of cervical injuries (simple falls, other types of traffic accidents) were not included.
Results
Patients ranged in age from 18 to 75 years and all wore turbans, scarves or veils, which were dragged into the wheels of the two-wheeled machine. The neurological signs ranged from simple paresthesias to tetraparesis, and we noted an associated head trauma in half of the cases (not wearing a helmet). Cervical vertebral-medullary lesions were explored by CT and MRI. Two patients underwent surgery with favorable outcomes. Four patients had neurological sequelae.
Conclusion
Cervical trauma due to tissue entrapment in the wheels of two-wheeled vehicles are serious and can be fatal. In addition to helmet use, road safety should emphasize the hazard of wearing loose cloths, as well as scarves, women‘s veils and various turbans on 2-wheeled vehicles.