Injury epidemiology of inflatable amusement
devices: a level I trauma center experience

Injury epidemiology of inflatable amusement
devices: a level I trauma center experience

Pediatric trauma, Inflatable amusement device, Bounce house

Abstract
Objectives The incidence of pediatric injuries involving inflatable amusement devices (IADs) has increased. This
study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of these injuries treated at a level 1 trauma center. We hypothesized that
there would be a yearly increase in injuries across the study period.
Methods After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, a retrospective chart review was conducted of pediatric
patients (<18 years-old) treated at Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH) for IAD-related injury between
January 1, 2014, and June 30, 2024.
Results Forty-nine patients were treated. An average of 4.4 patients were treated for IAD-related injuries each year.
A positive relationship between injury rate and year was not observed in the cohort (p=0.102). The median injury
severity score (ISS) was 4. Forty-three patients suffered one or more bone fractures (88%) and 35 required surgical
intervention (71%).
Conclusions Our cohort did not show a significant increase in the incidence of pediatric IAD-related injuries over
time. The injury burden in our study was high, with 71% of patients treated surgically. This might be due to the high
proportion (78%) of patients transferred from outside institutions for definitive treatment.
Keywords Pediatric trauma, Inflatable amusement device, Bounce house

Joseph Larson1

, Jacob Amann1

, Joyce McRae2

, Mark Kashtan2

, Amna Minhas2

, Benjamin A. Farber2
,

Andrei Radulescu2

and Donald Moores2,3*

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12245-025-01100-1

2026

peri irawan

pdf

english

text