title: Blunt injury to the colon and rectum.
abstract: One hundred nine patients suffering blunt injury to the colon or rectum were treated between 1 January 1970 and 31 December 1980. Vehicular accidents accounted for 90% of the injuries and 91% of the fatalities. Multiple system injury predominated, with survivors averaging 1.9 and nonsurvivors 3.8 injuries/patient. Six cases were complicated by abdominal sepsis directly related to their colon injury. There were no deaths and no episodes of colon-related abdominal sepsis among patients with isolated colon trauma. Of the 32 patients not surviving, four (3.7%), died as a direct result of their colon injury. Three of the four deaths appear to have been preventable.
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003106:Colon / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D012007:Rectum / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000601:surgery*