[Traumatic lesions of the thoracic and abdominal organs in childhood]

This is a retrospective analysis of 651 children, aged 0 to 14 years, presenting chest and abdominal injuries, treated over a 6-year period in the section of pediatric surgery of the Emergency Medicine Institute "Pirogov". The results of studies on the etiopathogenesis of chest and abdominal trauma, patterns of associated lesions and quality of prehospital aid are discussed. Experience with the application of updated noninvasive and invasive methods of diagnosis, as well as the scope of surgical approach to the variety of lesions by resorting to organ sparing and organ salvaging operative procedures are analyzed. On the basis of observations and experience gained to date, the indications for application of the prospective method of nonoperative treatment of certain organic lesions in the practice of pediatric surgery are broadened. The overall research project provides good reason to work out an algorithm of the therapeutic approach to children presenting abdominal and chest trauma.