title: Outcome of children with blunt liver or spleen injuries: Experience from a single institution in Korea.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study is to evaluate the demographics, injury pattern, and treatment outcomes among children hospitalized for the management of blunt liver and spleen injury at a single institution in Korea, and to document trends in treatment strategies of children with blunt torso trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children (<20 years) with blunt liver and spleen injuries, hospitalized at our center between May 2010 and February 2016, were included in the present study. Data were retrospectively analyzed for demographic and injury-related information were obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 34 patients with blunt liver injury and 21 patients with blunt spleen injury presented at the center. The most common cause of liver and spleen injury was motor vehicle collision, followed by fall. Thirty patients (88.2%) with liver injuries and 18 patients (85.7%) with spleen injuries were managed conservatively. No cases of mortality occurred in patients with spleen injury group; one patient (2.9%) died in patients with liver injury due to uncontrolled bleeding.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data demonstrated that 85.7% of patients with spleen injuries and 88.2% of patients with liver injuries were managed nonoperatively. Operative management was chosen more selectively, being applied in patients with high grade organ injury scores or abrupt changes in vital status. Our findings will contribute to the available data concerning children with traumatic injuries in Korea.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: medhun@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Ki Hoon
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hq369@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Jin Soo
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: drkww@lycos.co.kr.
authors.forename: Woon-Won
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries*; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000293:injuries*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Blunt trauma; Liver injury; Nonoperative treatment; Pediatric trauma center; Spleen injury