title: Penetrating chest wound of the foetus.
abstract: Traumas of the foetus caused by stabbings are rare but actually life-threatening for both the foetus and the mother. We report a case of penetrating chest wound on a baby taken from the obstetrics unit to the paediatric surgical department. His mother was assaulted by his father, a mentally sick person with no appropriate follow-up. The foetus did not show any sign of vital distress. Surgical exploration of the wound has revealed a section of the 10 th rib, a laceration of the pleura and a tearing of the diaphragm. A phrenorraphy and a pleural drainage were performed. The new-born and its mother were released from hospital after 5 days and the clinical control and X-ray checks 6 months later showed nothing abnormal. We insisted a medical, psychiatric follow-up be initiated for the father. As regards pregnant women with penetrating wounds, the mortality rate of the foetus is 80%. The odds are good for our newborn due to the mild injuries and good professional collaboration of the medical staff. Penetrating transuterine wounds of the foetus can be very serious. The health care needed should include many fields due to the mother and the foetus' lesions extreme polymorphism. In our case, it could have prevented by a good psychiatric followed up of the offender.
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Charles de Gaulle Paediatric Teaching Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors: Albert
authors: A
authors: Wandaogo
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Charles de Gaulle Paediatric Teaching Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors: Toussaint Wendlamita
authors: TW
authors: Tapsoba
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Charles de Gaulle Paediatric Teaching Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors: Isso
authors: I
authors: Ouédraogo
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Charles de Gaulle Paediatric Teaching Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors: Bernadette
authors: B
authors: Béré
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Charles de Gaulle Paediatric Teaching Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors: S F
authors: SF
authors: Ouédraogo
authors: Department of Paediatric Surgery, Charles de Gaulle Paediatric Teaching Hospital, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Bandré
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D049188:Prenatal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery