Citation

Tenge RK, Ndungu JM. East Afr. Med. J. 1999; 76(10): 580-582.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Moi University, Eldoret.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Nairobi Medical Association of East Africa)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

10734510

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern of intra-abdominal injuries arising from blunt abdominal trauma and evaluate the management of blunt abdominal trauma and its outcome. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Paediatric Surgical Department, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), Nairobi. SUBJECTS: Fifty-five children who were admitted and treated for blunt abdominal trauma in KNH between January 1983 and December 1993. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Morbidity as determined by operative management and complications, mortality and period of hospital stay. RESULTS: Incidence of trauma was high in males with male to female ratio of 2:1. Incidence of trauma was prevalent in seven year age group. Motor vehicle accidents accounted for the majority of injuries. Most patients arrived late in hospital. Sixty per cent underwent laparotomy. Three quarters of these had positive findings. The spleen was the organ most commonly injured. Hypovolaemic shock was the most frequent complication. One patient died during management. On average, patients stayed for seven days in the ward before discharge. CONCLUSION: Blunt abdominal trauma more commonly affected male children. Motor vehicle accidents were a major aetiologic factor in blunt abdominal trauma in children seen in Kenyatta National Hospital. Twenty-five per cent of the children were subjected to unnecessary operation. This was due to unavailability of sensitive diagnostic modalities.

Language: en