Early laparoscopic repair for blunt duodenal perforation in an adolescent

Duodenal perforation secondary to blunt abdominal trauma in children is rare and usually associated with delays in diagnosis and surgical intervention. The authors encountered such a case in a 12-year-old boy owing to his falling over the handlebar of a bicycle. Imaging examination showed that there was a perforation over the fourth portion of the duodenum without concomitant injuries. Using a 5-port transperitoneal laparoscopic technique, primary closure of the perforation was successfully performed at 6 hours after the impact. Laparoscopic approach appears to be safe and feasible in hemodynamically stable children with solitary traumatic duodenal perforation if the operation can be performed early in the course of the incident.