KU Hospital saw fewer injuries but increased severity, including amputations, over July 4 weekend
Kansas University Hospital saw five patients with partial or full amputations as a result of fireworks injuries over the holiday weekend.
There were fewer total patients with fireworks injuries from July 2 to July 5 than in the two years prior, but significant hand injuries have increased, according to a news release from the hospital.
The hospital had 15 total patients with fireworks injuries: 12 male, three female, with ages ranging from 5 months to 64 years and an average age of 22. Seven of the 15 were admitted to the hospital, according to the release.
The most common types of fireworks causing injuries this year were sparklers and firecrackers. In the two years prior, the top two included sparklers and mortars.
In 2014 and 2015, the hospital saw 31 and 21 patients, respectively; the youngest patient the hospital saw in the past two years was 4, according to the release. The hospital did not release the number of amputations in previous years, but said there were several patients in 2015 with amputated fingers.