Dar PMUD, Arumugam SK, Hakim S, Peralta R, El-Menyar A, Rizoli S, Al-Thani H. Force analysis of mechanism and pattern of spinal trauma in sand dune vehicle crash: Five case reports. World J Clin Cases 2026; 14(14): 119832 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i14.119832]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Ayman El-Menyar, MD, Department of Surgery, Hamad Medical Corporation, Al-Rayyan Street, Doha 3050, Qatar. aymanco65@yahoo.com
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Surgery
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Case Report
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May 16, 2026 (publication date) through Apr 27, 2026
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World Journal of Clinical Cases
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Dar PMUD, Arumugam SK, Hakim S, Peralta R, El-Menyar A, Rizoli S, Al-Thani H. Force analysis of mechanism and pattern of spinal trauma in sand dune vehicle crash: Five case reports. World J Clin Cases 2026; 14(14): 119832 [DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i14.119832]
World J Clin Cases. May 16, 2026; 14(14): 119832 Published online May 16, 2026. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v14.i14.119832
Force analysis of mechanism and pattern of spinal trauma in sand dune vehicle crash: Five case reports
Parvez Mohi Ud Din Dar, Suresh Kumar Arumugam, Suhail Hakim, Ruben Peralta, Ayman El-Menyar, Sandro Rizoli, Hassan Al-Thani
Parvez Mohi Ud Din Dar, Suresh Kumar Arumugam, Suhail Hakim, Ruben Peralta, Department of Trauma Surgery, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
Ruben Peralta, Department of Surgery, Universidad Nacional Pedro Henriquez Urena, Santo Domingo 10100, Dominican Republic
Ayman El-Menyar, Sandro Rizoli, Hassan Al-Thani, Department of Surgery, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
Ayman El-Menyar, Department of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha 24144, Qatar
Author contributions: Dar PMUD, Arumugam SK, Hakim S, Peralta R, El-Menyar A, Rizoli S, Al-Thani H contributed substantially to this manuscript in terms of conceptualization, methods, interpretation and writing, and they read and approved it for submission.
Informed consent statement: Informed written consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this report and any accompanying images.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Corresponding author: Ayman El-Menyar, MD, Department of Surgery, Hamad Medical Corporation, Al-Rayyan Street, Doha 3050, Qatar. aymanco65@yahoo.com
Received: February 10, 2026 Revised: February 16, 2026 Accepted: March 23, 2026 Published online: May 16, 2026 Processing time: 79 Days and 16.3 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Spinal trauma is a major cause of morbidity, with cervical injuries being the most common type. Desert safari dune bashing, a popular tourist activity, poses a significant risk due to various maneuvers and exposes occupants to flexion-extension, axial loading, and rotational injuries of the spine. Rollover crashes on dunes exert unique forces on occupants, often leading to spinal injuries. Biomechanical analysis and understanding injury patterns assist in prognosis and prevention. This study aimed to analyze the force analysis of mechanisms and injury patterns of spinal injuries resulting from dune rollover crashes.
CASE SUMMARY
A case series of five patients involved in a single sand dune vehicle rollover. Clinical, radiological, and management data were retrieved from hospital electronic medical records. Parameters analyzed included demographics, seating position, restraint use, injury mechanism, fracture pattern, associated injuries, management strategy, and outcomes. All patients sustained direct impact to the head and spine, with axial loading as the predominant mechanism. Three patients had cervical spine injuries (including odontoid, Jefferson, and Hangman fractures), while two sustained combined cervical and thoracic fractures. Two patients underwent surgical fixation, and others were managed conservatively with cervical collar, halo vest, or thoracolumbar brace. All patients were neurologically intact at discharge. Hospital stays ranged from 5 days to 10 days.
CONCLUSION
Sand dune rollover vehicle crashes can cause complex, multi-level spinal fractures even if the patients are neurologically intact. Awareness of these mechanisms can aid in preventing these injuries, ensuring appropriate immobilization, rapid diagnosis, and timely management to prevent secondary neurological injuries.
Core Tip: Traumatic spinal injury is a major cause of morbidity, with cervical injuries being the most common type. Desert safari dune bashing, a popular tourist activity, poses a significant risk due to various maneuvers and exposes occupants to flexion-extension, axial loading, and rotational injuries of the spine. Rollover crashes on dunes exert unique forces on occupants, often leading to spinal injuries. Mixed forces analysis and understanding injury patterns assist in prognosis and prevention. Awareness of these mechanisms can aid in preventing these injuries, ensuring appropriate immobilization, rapid diagnosis, and timely management to prevent secondary neurological injuries.
