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Liver trauma in children: Our experience
Chrysostomos Kepertis1, Athanasios Zavitsanakis, Antonios Filippopoulos
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital "Georgios Gennimatas", Thessaloniki, Greece.
Insights
Pediatric liver trauma occurs most often from motor vehicle accidents. While head injuries are common, nonoperative management is preferred for stable children, with a low mortality rate.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric surgery
- Trauma surgery
- Abdominal trauma
Background:
- Liver trauma is a significant concern in pediatric patients.
- Understanding the epidemiology and outcomes of pediatric liver injuries is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the incidence, causes, associated injuries, and outcomes of liver trauma in children.
- To analyze the management strategies and their effectiveness in pediatric liver trauma cases.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pediatric patients (<15 years) with abdominal trauma from January 1994 to December 2004.
- Analysis of patient demographics, injury etiology, associated injuries, surgical interventions, and patient outcomes.
Main Results:
- Out of 436 trauma patients, 34 (7.8%) had liver trauma. The median age was 5.89 years (range: 1-14), with boys comprising 76.4%.
- Motor vehicle injuries were the most common cause (41.17%). Head injuries were the most frequent associated injury. Nine children (26.4%) required surgery.
- The mortality rate was 2.94% (1 death).
Conclusions:
- The liver is the second most frequently injured intra-abdominal organ in pediatric trauma.
- Nonoperative management is the preferred approach for hemodynamically stable children with liver trauma.
Aims And Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to determine the percentage, etiology, associated injuries and outcome of the children with liver trauma.
Materials And Methods:
In a retrospective review all children below 15 years of age who had sustained abdominal trauma were included. the study duration was January 1994 to December 2004.
Results:
Out of a total number of 436 trauma patients 34 were identified to have liver trauma (including one death). The median age was 5.89 and range: 1 to 14 years). Boys accounted for 76.4% (n = 26), and the most common cause was motor vehicle injuries, accounting for 41.17% (n = 14). Nine children underwent surgery (26.4%). Head injuries were the most common associated injuries, and the mortality rate was 2.94% (n = 1).
Conclusions:
The liver remained the second most commonly injured intraabdominal organ and nonoperative management is the preferred treatment for hemodynamically stable patients.
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