Blunt Abdominal Trauma in Children

ABSTRACT

Trauma is one of the leading causes of death in children. Abdominal trauma is about 10% of all pediatric trauma. This study describes the sex and age distribution, injury mechanism, site of intraabdominal injury, management and mortality of children aged 16 years or less who suffered abdominal trauma. The hospital records of 63 patients treated for abdominal injury between March 1997 and February 2007 at the department of surgery, Inje University Pusan Paik Hospital, were analyzed retrospectively. The peak age of incidence was between 2 and 10 years (78%) and this report showed male predominance(2.71). The most common mechanism of blunt abdominal trauma was pedestrian traffic accident (49%). The most common injured organ was liver. More than Grade IV injury of liver and spleen comprised of 4(12%) and 5(24%), respectively. Fourteen cases (22%) had multiple organ injuries. Forty nine cases (78%) were managed nonoperatively. Three patients (4.8%) died, who had Grade IV liver injury, Grade IV spleen injury, and liver and spleen injury with combined inferior vena cava injury, respectively. All of the three mortality cases had operative management. In conclusion, the liver or spleen injury which was more than Grade 4 might lead to mortality in spite of operation, although many cases could be improved by nonoperative management.