Hollow viscus injury in blunt abdominal trauma–a cross–sectional study in a tertiary care centre.

Dr. MANJUSH EDATHIKUDI; UNNIKRISHNAN EDAKKE PURAM

Volume : VII, Issue : VII, July - 2017

Hollow viscus injury in blunt abdominal trauma–a cross–sectional study in a tertiary care centre.

Dr. Manjush Edathikudi, Unnikrishnan Edakke Puram

Abstract :

Abdomen is the third most frequently injured organ in patients with civilian trauma. Most of these cases present with blunt abdominal injuries. Missed diagnosis in the setting of other associated injuries results in avoidable mortality and morbidity. Hollow viscous associated with blunt tram poses a diagnostic challenge which may result in delays in detection and timely operative intervention. We undertook this study to describe the pattern of hollow viscus injuries following blunt trauma in our institution. We conducted this cross–sectional study at the department of surgery government medical college Kozhikode after ethics committee clearance. All consecutive patients were studied in details. Exclusion criteria were age less than 13years, penetrating and stab injuries and hollow viscus injuries other that caused by blunt trauma. Demographic variables, clinical examination findings, type of management, investigation findings and operative details were collected in pretested case report form, which was later abstracted into a database. All statistical analyses were done in R statistical software. During the study period, there were 746 blunt trauma patients. Of these, there were only 23 hollow viscus injuries. Males were more frequently involved. More than 90 percent of the patients presented with abdominal pain. More than 20 percent of patients presents with abdominal distention and 13 percent with chest pain. Abdominal tenderness was present in 96 percent of patients and guarding in 70 percent of patients. In our study, the most common mechanism of injury was the result of high–energy transfer as in road traffic accidents. One of the unexpected findings in our study was the high proportion of ram horn injuries. Abdominal pain was the most common presentation followed by abdominal distension. Radiological and sociological examination was the main investigative modality in diagnosing hollow visceral injury. However negative radiological and sociological examination does not rule out hollow viscous injury.