@article{ref1,
title="A Prospective Study of Blunt Abdominal Trauma at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Nigeria",
journal="European journal of trauma and emergency surgery",
year="2010",
author="Asuquo, Maurice E. and Etiuma, Anietimfon U. and Bassey, Okon O. and Ugare, Gabriel and Ngim, Ogbu and Agbor, Cyril and Ikpeme, Anthonia and Ndifon, Wilfred",
volume="36",
number="2",
pages="164-168",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) usually results from motor vehicle accidents, assaults, and recreational accidents or falls. This communication is a 3-year report of an ongoing study aimed at providing the current BAT prevalence in our center. It is hoped that this would assist in a better design of prevention and emergency trauma response systems to cope with this epidemic. <br><br>METHODS: All of the patients admitted to the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Calabar, Nigeria, from February 2005 to January 2008 were prospectively studied based on a questionnaire. Hemodynamic stability and sonography formed the basis for selecting patients for non-operative management (NOM); others were offered laparotomy. <br><br>RESULTS: In total, 4,391 emergencies were seen during the study period, of which 1,654 (38%) were due to trauma. Seventy-nine patients with abdominal trauma accounted for 4.8% of trauma cases. Forty-two (53%) patients suffered BAT and their ages ranged from 14 and 56 years (mean 28.4 years), with a male:female ratio of 2.5:1. Road traffic accidents accounted for 13 (87%) and 26 (96%) patients in the NOM and laparotomy groups, respectively. The most commonly injured organ was the spleen in both groups: 8 (50%) and 15 (56%) in the NOM and laparotomy groups, respectively. Fifteen (36%) patients were managed successfully in the NOM group. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Trauma was mainly due to road traffic injuries. Hemodynamic stability and ultrasonography effectively selected patients for NOM. The establishment of trauma systems, provision of ancillary diagnostic and monitoring facilities, well-designed roads and traffic infrastructure, and health education on road safety would reduce injury, morbidity, and mortality.<p /><p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1863-9933",
doi="10.1007/s00068-009-9104-2",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00068-009-9104-2"
}