Publication:

Epidemiology and injury pattern in blunt trauma abdomen in pediatric population: a two-year experience in a tertiary care institute of Kashmir, India

Background Blunt abdominal trauma is a frequent cause for presentation of children to the Emergency Department. Children are prone to sustain injuries to intra-abdominal organs after blunt abdominal trauma because of their peculiar body habitus and relatively immature musculoskeletal system. Objectives of this study is to assess the various epidemiological parameters that influences the causation of trauma as well as injury pattern in blunt trauma abdomen in pediatric population.

Methods The present observational hospital based prospective study was carried out in 96 blunt abdominal trauma patients of both sexes aged up to 12 years, over a period of 2 years. The parameters such as age group, sex, mode of trauma, type of injury, and the overall mortality as well as mortality were assessed.

Results The most common mode of injury was road traffic accidents (54.2%) followed by fall from height (41.70%). Splenic injury was the most common in 58.30%, followed by hepatic injuries 34.40% and renal injuries 12.50 %. The accuracy of ultrasonography (USG) was 83.33% while accuracy of computed tomography (CECT) as a diagnostic test was 93.33%. When comparing USG findings with operative findings sensitivity of USG was 88% with positive predictive value (PPV) of 91.66% while as specificity was 60% with negative predictive value (NPV) of 50%. Sensitivity of CT scan was 96.00% with PPV of 96.00% and specificity of CECT scan was 80.00% with NPV of 80.00%.

Conclusions The majority of pediatric injuries are preventable by knowing the epidemiology and pattern of pediatric trauma.