Retroperitoneal injuries of the duodenum caused by blunt abdominal trauma

Five patients with blunt retroperitoneal injury of the duodenum are presented. In three of them the trauma was caused by a traffic accident, the most common mechanism of such injuries. One patient died. The high index of suspicion is still the best indication for laparotomy in retroperitoneal injuries of the duodenum, because no typical finding or reliably diagnostic test could be demonstrated even in the present study. The proper treatment in less severe injuries of the retroperitoneal duodenum is evacuation of the hematoma or simple suture of the rupture with drainage and naso-gastric suction. Internal drainage as an afferent jejunostomy is sometimes necessary in the treatment of more severe injuries. Pancreatoduodenectomy is to be reserved for only the very severe duodenal injuries, where the head of the pancreas is badly crushed.