title: Frequency, causes and pattern of abdominal trauma: A 4-year descriptive analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of abdominal trauma is still underreported from the Arab Middle-East. We aimed to evaluate the incidence, causes, clinical presentation, and outcome of the abdominal trauma patients in a newly established trauma center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was conducted at the only level I trauma center in Qatar for the patients admitted with abdominal trauma (2008-2011). Patients demographics, mechanism of injury, pattern of organ injuries, associated extra-abdominal injuries, Injury Severity Score (ISS), Abbreviated Injury Scale, complications, length of Intensive Care Unit, and hospital stay, and mortality were reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 6888 trauma patients were admitted to the hospital, of which 1036 (15%) had abdominal trauma. The mean age was 30.6 ± 13 years and the majority was males (93%). Road traffic accidents (61%) were the most frequent mechanism of injury followed by fall from height (25%) and fall of heavy object (7%). The mean ISS was 17.9 ± 10. Liver (36%), spleen (32%) and kidney (18%) were most common injured organs. The common associated extra-abdominal injuries included chest (35%), musculoskeletal (32%), and head injury (24%). Wound infection (3.8%), pneumonia (3%), and urinary tract infection (1.4%) were the frequently observed complications. The overall mortality was 8.3% and late mortality was observed in 2.3% cases mainly due to severe head injury and sepsis. The predictors of mortality were head injury, ISS, need for blood transfusion, and serum lactate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abdominal trauma is a frequent diagnosis in multiple trauma and the presence of extra-abdominal injuries and sepsis has a significant impact on the outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Suresh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arumugam
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ammar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Hassani
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Trauma Surgery Section, Clinical Research, HMC, Doha, Qatar ; Department of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ayman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Menyar
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Husham
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdelrahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ashok
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Parchani
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Peralta
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zarour
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Trauma Surgery Section, Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Hassan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Al-Thani
keywords: Abdominal trauma; Qatar; mortality; sepsis