Our experience with kite string injuries during makarsankranti festival

Kite-flying is a popular activity during the Makar Sankranti festival in Gujarat which spans over 14 th and 15 th January of every year. Kite strings are an important cause of penetrating neck trauma in two-wheeler drivers. In this study a total of 63 patients of kite string injuries over face and neck were studied between 2018 and 2020 at Shri Sayajirao General Hospital, Vadodara. These patients were divided into 3 groups according to the site of injury. Males were most commonly affected. Most patients were in the 19-40 years age group. Neck was the most frequently involved in most of the patients. Majority of the patients did not use personal protective gears. An indigenous metal wire frame used over two-wheelers also appeared to be reducing the number of injuries. We conclude that awareness can prevent these injuries to a large extent.