Blunt trauma abdomen

Abstract

Introduction: Trauma is the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide in the first four decades of life. It remains a major public health problem amongst all countries, regardless of the socioeconomic status. Abdomen is the third most frequently injured body region. Most preventable deaths are those occurring in the abdomen. The paper studied the cause of injury, clinical presentation and management adopted for the patients admitted following blunt trauma abdomen for 1 year and compared the causes of injury and organs injured. Methodology: This is an observational study based on 241 cases of blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) with respect to clinical presentation, cause of injury, management and organs injured. Results: Demographic data such as age and sex, cause of injury, commonly injured organs and the management done were observed and compared. It was found that BAT commonly involves young males in the age group of 20–40 years. Road traffic accident (RTA) is found to be the most common cause of injury. Conservative management was done in 217 out of 241 patients. Out of 241 blunt trauma cases presented, liver was the most common organ injured and 118 patients with liver trauma were managed conservatively and 4 patients were taken up for surgery. Out of 112 splenic trauma patients, 106 were managed conservatively and 6 were taken up for splenectomy. Hollow viscus injury followed by pneumoperitoneum was directly taken up for surgery with no role of non-operative management. Out of 12 patients with mesenteric injury, 10 patients were taken up for surgery (primary suturing of torn mesentery) and 2 were conservatively managed. Multiple organs are usually involved in most of the cases rather than an isolated organ injury. Conservative management was done in 24 patients out of 241 blunt trauma abdomen patients. Conclusion: The study was conclusive of the fact that young males who sustained BAT due to RTA were the most commonly affected group. It was also conclusive that spleen and liver are the most commonly injured organs in BAT and conservative management should be followed wherever possible.