Diagnosis and management of small bowel and mesentery injury following blunt abdominal trauma in 12 cases.
Over four years (April 2004 to December 2008) 12 patients with blunt small bowel and mesenteric injuries were treated at three hospi-tals dealing with trauma. Ten cases were victims of traffic accidents, of whom 70% wore seat belts. There were 11 small bowel injuries (4 full-thickness & 7 seromuscular) and 9 mesenteric injuries (3 with & 6 without a de-vascularized bowel segment). All were managed initially following the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) guidelines. Emergency room ultrasound was positive for blood in 5/7 cases (71%) and CT scan in 2/4 (50%). Diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) was performed in one case and was positive for blood.
Helmy
Mohamed A
MA
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo 11566, Egypt.
Alafifi
Aser M
AM
Ali
Ahmed H
AH
D000007:Abdominal Injuries; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating; D055815:Young Adult