Current approach to developing intraabdominal organ injuries as a result of blunt trauma

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate treatment and follow up of children with blunt abdominal trauma during two years.Material and Method: One hundred sixty-nine children wounded after blunt abdominal trauma, brought to Pediatric Surgery Clinic of Dicle University Medical Faculty Hospital, treated and followed up there between January of 2009 and December of 2010 were studied. Age, sex, social and economical status, cause of injury, arriving time to hospital, injured non-abdominal organs, injury degree of abdominal organs were observed in this study. However the cases were evaluated in terms of diagnostic approach, methods used in diagnosis, indications for conservative and surgical treatment via comparing radiological and surgical findings. The cases were investigated in terms of hospitalization period, period of urinary catheter and nasogastric tube, blood products given to patients.The developed compilations and treatment were evaluated is terms of mortality.Symptoms: One hundred twenty-four and thirty-eight of 162 patients treated and followed in our clinic after blunt abdominal trauma were girls and boys respectively. Nearly half of cases were between 6 and 10 ages. The most common cause of injury was falls from height (56,1 %), the second was traffic accident out of vehicles (23,4 %). 194 organs were injured totally the most injured organ was liver with (69 cases, 35 %) the second frequency was spleen (61 cases, 31 %). Most of solid organ injuries was first and second degree. In this study only 5 children lost their life. During follow up 2 kidneys were lost at 2 children. Esophagectomy gastric transposition was performed at a child.Any problem was not observed during two years.Results: Trauma case of children that can be solved easily by comprising it under social, administrative and basic health services still continues to cause death or injury of children. Most of intra-abdominal injuries, especially splenic injury firstly, are injuries which can be followed up at secondary care providers. Child neglect and falls from a roof are significant health problems especially in Southeast region of Turkey.Key Words: Child, blunt abdominal trauma, conservative or surgical treatment, follows up.