title: Splenic injury after blunt abdominal trauma during a soccer (football) game.
abstract: The spleen is the most commonly injured abdominal organ in children who sustain blunt abdominal trauma, and pediatric splenic injury may result from minor mechanisms of injury, including sports participation. We present 2 cases of splenic injury in soccer goalies because of blunt abdominal trauma sustained during game play. Although abdominal organ injuries are uncommon in soccer, emergency medicine and primary care physicians must be aware of the possibility. A high index of suspicion and careful physical examination are key in making the diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: From the *David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA; †Department of Emergency Medicine, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA; and ‡Department of Emergency Medicine, CHOC Children's Hospital, Orange, CA.
authors.forename: Patricia S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Padlipsky
authors.forename: Seth
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brindis
authors.forename: Kelly D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D005538:Football; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012916:Soccer / Q000293:injuries*; D013154:Spleen / Q000293:injuries*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy