title: Penetrating abdominal injuries in children and adolescents.
abstract: A total of 107 children and adolescents underwent laparotomies for penetrating trauma. There were 64 patients with stab wounds and 43 with gunshot wounds. Only 8 per cent of the patients were under 12 years of age. Three patients died--two from gunshot wounds of major vessels and one from a gunshot wound of the colon. Most of the injuries were related to crimes of violence or were self-inflicted. Multiple organ injuries and postoperative complications were significantly more common among patients with gunshot wounds than in those with stab wounds. Associated extra-abdominal injuries appeared to be more common among patients with gunshot wounds but the difference was not statistically significant. Unnecessary laparotomies were twice as frequent in victims of stab wounds.
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003106:Colon / Q000293:injuries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000293:injuries; D007813:Laparotomy; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D014754:Violence; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery