Carving a pumpkin? This surgeon sees spike in tendon lacerations at Halloween
CBC
Carving a jack-o-lantern is a favourite tradition to many: scraping out pumpkin seeds, slicing out a toothy grin and lighting up the night.
But specialists like Dr. Ruby Grewal say they see a spike in hand injuries at Halloween. The orthopaedic surgeon at Roth McFarlane Hand & Upper Limb Centre in London, Ont. said people sometimes end up with tendon lacerations and severed nerves due to knife wounds.
"We do see a rash of injuries," she said. "As a hand surgeon, this is something we see every year."
The most common injury she sees is people who use a kitchen knife, but they slip and the sharp tip stabs their other hand. She says typically, the tendons and nerves can be repaired, though there's a lengthy rehabilitation process.
"I think we can all do it; we just have to do it smartly," she said, adding that it's a Halloween activity she grew up with.
"If you do it properly, do it with the right tools, and do it safely, there shouldn't be an issue."
Here are Dr. Grewal's quick tips for pumpkin season:
"You can't fully avoid the risk unless you choose a different approach, like painting your pumpkin," she said. "We highly recommend this, especially for children."
Dr. Grewal said you can also capture the ambience with a plastic pumpkin that can be plugged in.
When carving, she said that kids can draw the face, but adults should be cutting and carving. The best practice is to make sure you carve it before you remove the pulp.
"That avoids someone getting stabbed through the pumpkin as they hold it on the inside," she said.
Cleaning your pumpkin will cut down on likelihood of infection.
That said, you also need to make sure you fully dry it. Dr. Grewal said injuries can happen when your hands, the pumpkin or the tools are wet.
"Make sure you wash and fully dry your pumpkin, make sure your hands are dry and invest in a proper pumpkin carving kit that has tools designed to carve more safely," she said.
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