Use caution during the Halloween
season, and take steps to prevent hand injuries
when carving.“Every Halloween
season we see four or five patients—both adults
and children—who come into our office with
severe injuries to their hands and fingers,”
says Jeffrey Wint, MD, an ASSH member from The
Hand Center of Western Massachusetts,
Springfield, MA. “Treatment can often run three
to four months from the time of surgery through
rehabilitation.”
To prevent hand injuries, the
ASSH suggests the following safety tips
Carve at a Clean, Dry, Well-lit Area
Wash and thoroughly dry all of the tools
that you will use to carve the pumpkin: carving
tools, knife, cutting surface, and your hands.
Any moisture on your tools, hands, or table can
cause slipping that can lead to injuries.
Always Have Adult Supervision
“All too often we see adolescent patients
with injuries because adults feel the kids are
responsible enough to be left on their own,”
says Wint. “Even though the carving may be going
great, it only takes a second for an injury to
occur.”
Leave the Carving to Adults
Never let children do the carving. Wint
suggests letting kids draw a pattern on the
pumpkin and have them be responsible for
cleaning out the inside pulp and seeds. When the
adults do start cutting, they should always cut
away from themselves and cut in small,
controlled strokes.
Sharper is not Better
“A sharper knife is not necessarily better
because it often becomes wedged in the thicker
part of the pumpkin, requiring force to remove
it,” says Wint. “An injury can occur if your
hand is in the wrong place when the knife
finally dislodges from the thick skin of the
pumpkin. Injuries are also sustained when the
knife slips and comes out the other side of the
pumpkin where your hand may be holding it
steady.”
Use a Pumpkin Carving Kit
Special pumpkin carving kits are
available in stores and include small serrated
pumpkin saws that work better because they are
less likely to get stuck in the thick pumpkin
tissue. “If they do get jammed and then wedged
free, they are not sharp enough to cause a deep,
penetrating cut,” says Wint.
Help for a pumpkin carving injury
Should you cut your finger or hand, bleeding
from minor cuts will often stop on their own by
applying direct pressure to the wound with a
clean cloth. If continuous pressure does not
slow or stop the bleeding after 15 minutes, an
emergency room visit may be required.
Visit the
Find a Hand Surgeon pages to locate a hand
doctor near you.
Copyright © American Society for Surgery of
the Hand 2009.