Intestinal trauma, Analysis of 101 cases

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Gastrointestinal Surgery
• Epidemiology of Injury

Background:

• Intestinal injuries pose significant challenges in trauma care.
• Understanding injury patterns and outcomes is crucial for improving patient management.
• Historical data provides valuable insights into evolving trauma mechanisms and treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the incidence and characteristics of intestinal injuries over a 30-year period.
• To analyze the association between trauma mechanisms and injury patterns.
• To evaluate surgical management strategies and outcomes for abdominal trauma.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 101 patients with intestinal injuries.
• Classification of trauma as blunt or penetrating.
• Analysis of injury location, associated organ damage, and surgical interventions.
• Examination of mortality rates and causes.

Main Results:

• Blunt abdominal trauma (78 cases) predominated over penetrating trauma (23 cases).
• Increasing frequency of small-bowel and mesenteric injuries correlated with motorcar accidents.
• Associated injuries to other abdominal organs were common, especially with mesenteric or large-bowel trauma.
• Primary repair or resection was the preferred surgical approach; colostomy was rare.
• Mortality rate remained constant at 35%, often due to factors other than the operative procedure.

Conclusions:

• Motorcar accidents significantly influenced the epidemiology of intestinal injuries.
• Prompt surgical exploration is vital for intra-abdominal injuries.
• Modern surgical techniques focus on primary repair for most intestinal injuries.
• Despite advances, mortality rates for severe abdominal trauma remain a concern.