Traumatic adrenal haemorrhage in children

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Published on: September 15, 2017

S V S Soundappan1, Albert H Lam, Daniel T Cass

  • 1Department of Academic Surgery/Trauma, University of Sydney, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, NSW, Australia. ss@chw.edu.au

ANZ Journal of Surgery
|August 19, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Traumatic adrenal hemorrhage (TAH) is rare in children after blunt abdominal trauma. While CT scans diagnose TAH, ultrasound is effective for monitoring its resolution, which typically occurs within three months.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Traumatology
  • Abdominal Imaging
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Adrenal injuries are infrequent complications of blunt abdominal trauma.
  • Increased detection of traumatic adrenal hemorrhage (TAH) necessitates further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the characteristics and outcomes of traumatic adrenal hemorrhage in pediatric patients.
  • To evaluate diagnostic and follow-up imaging modalities for TAH.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of trauma and medical imaging databases (1998-2004).
  • Analysis of medical records for injury mechanisms, imaging findings, associated injuries, and clinical outcomes.
  • Inclusion of 11 pediatric cases with TAH.

Main Results:

  • Right adrenal gland was the most commonly injured site.
  • Motor vehicle injuries represented the most frequent cause of TAH.
  • All TAH cases were identified on initial CT scans; most had associated abdominal injuries.
  • No fatalities were recorded.
  • Ultrasound demonstrated resolution of TAH in six patients within three months.

Conclusions:

  • Traumatic adrenal hemorrhage is an uncommon and rarely isolated injury in children.
  • Computed tomography is crucial for initial diagnosis, while ultrasound is suitable for monitoring resolution.
  • TAH often presents as an incidental finding that resolves spontaneously on follow-up imaging.
Abstract

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