Muhammad Uzair, Riaz Ahmed Khan, Mussarat Hussain, Mohammad Ishaq, Jahangir Khan.
An Audit of Management of Blunt Abdominal Injuries in Children: (5 Years single institutional study).
Ophthalmol Update Jan ;15(2):154-6.

Objective: To know the frequency of different abdominal visceral injuries, preoperative clinical findings, per operative findings, postoperative outcome and role of non operative management in blunt trauma abdomen in children. Material and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the paediatric surgery unit, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar over a period of five years from January 2010 to January 2015.All paediatric patients with age range from 1 year to 13years having blunt trauma abdomen were included in the study. Patients with penetrating trauma, open abdominal wounds, or burns were not included. All paediatric patients with history of blunt trauma abdomen irrespective of any etiology were admitted to emergency department. Demographic features, mode of injury, initial clinical presentation, investigation, non operative management, any surgical intervention, preoperative findings and postoperative outcome were noted in a predesigned Performa. Results: A total number of 285 patients were managed during study period. Injury mechanisms were road-traffic-accidents (RTA) in 140(49%) , falling from height in 115(40%) , child abuse in 7(2.4%) animal hitting in15(5.2%) and sports related injury in 8(3%). 45(14%) had laparatomy while 245(86%) patients were treated by non operative management (NOM) . Associated extra abdominal injuries were encountered frequently, head injury in 7(2%), chest injury in 11(4%), upper limbs fractures in 13 patient (4.5%), spine fracture with paraplegia in 3(1%) patients, pelvic fractures in 16(5%) patients, urethral injury in21(7%), lower limbs fractures in 24(15%), and soft tissue injury in 65(23%). Conclusion: Bunt trauma abdomen is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children, conservative management is safe option in majority of hemodynamically stable blunt trauma abdomen patients.

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