%0 Journal Article
%T A Prospective Study of Blunt Abdominal Trauma at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Nigeria
%J European journal of trauma and emergency surgery
%D 2010
%A Asuquo, Maurice E.
%A Etiuma, Anietimfon U.
%A Bassey, Okon O.
%A Ugare, Gabriel
%A Ngim, Ogbu
%A Agbor, Cyril
%A Ikpeme, Anthonia
%A Ndifon, Wilfred
%V 36
%N 2
%P 164-168
%X 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>
%G en
%I Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group
%@ 1863-9933
%U http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00068-009-9104-2