Primary repair of colonic injuries in penetrating abdominal trauma

ABSTRACT

A study of 15 cases of colonic injuries managed with primary repair is presented. These cases were collected on the basis of strict inclusion criteria from all the patients presenting with abdominal trauma over a period of one year. All were male. Fire arm was the commonest mode of injury [53.3%]. Right colon was involved in 60% of cases. The lag period was 3-8 hours [mean 5 hours]. The commonest associated injury was small gut [46.6%]. The hospital stay was 7-15 days [mean 10 days]. Morbidity rate was 26.6%. Only one patient developed faecal fistula. However mortality remain nil. The rate of complications was directly proportional to severity of the colonic injury. Primary repair of colon in selected patients of penetrating abdominal trauma is recommended