2023 Volume 43 Issue 2 Pages 60-66
Introduction: Injuries caused by bears have been increasing. In this study, we investigated the characteristics of bear injuries and medical precautions.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical reports of patients attacked by bears between January 2016 and December 2020.
Results: Eight males and two females were attacked by bears. The mean age of the patients was 73 years. Most injuries occurred in the morning in October in residential areas (the area between the mountain foothills and arable land, 'Satoyama' area). Many of the patients were attacked in the head, neck, and upper limbs. Facial fractures were observed in more than half of the patients with facial injuries, and soft tissue injuries were observed in all cases. Reconstructive and reparative surgery was performed on the same day as the injury. All patients received prophylactic antimicrobials and there were no cases of infection.
Discussion: The month, time, and part of the body injured were similar to previous reports, whereas the area where the patients were injured was different. Due to the ecological destruction of the Satoyama area and lack of food, bears are appearing in people's living areas. There is a strong possibility that bear trauma cases will increase in the future; thus, it is important to understand the characteristics of bear trauma for the treatment of bear injuries.
