A clinical investigation of 126 cases of abdominal trauma underwent explore-laparatomy at Pusan City Hospital during the past 5 years from January 1978 to December 1982, was performed.
After clinical review, following results were obtained;
1) The seasonal distribution showed the highest incidence in spring involving 35 cases (27.8%).
2) The male to female ratio was 3.2:1 and the prevalent age was 2nd and 3rd decade (52.4%).
3) The most common mode of injury was violence (42.0%), traffic accident(40.5%), following (16.6%), in order of frequency.
4) 66 cases (52.3%) of injured patients were operated within 8 hours after injury and 1ll cases (88%) of injured patients were operated within 24 hours after injury.
5) The clinical manifestations included abdominal pain in 92. 1%, abdominal tenderness in 87.3%, rebound tenderness in 73. 9% and abdominal rigidity in 63.5%.
6) Careful four quadrant abdominal paracentesis was helpful in diagnosis and 83.1% of 65 cases had positive findings.
7) Free air in the abdominal plain x-ray was noted in 58 cases (45.2%) and preoperative leukocytosis was noted in 78.6% of the cases.
8) The associated extraabdominal injuries were chest injury in 34 cases (26.9%), long bone fracture in 8 cases (6.3%) and skulll fracture in 3 cases (2.3%) in the order of decreasing frequency.
9) The common injured organs in blunt trauma were small intestine 38.1%, spleen 11.2%, liver 8. 1%, retroperitoneal bleeding 6.9%.
10) 98 cases (77.8%) had single organ involvement, 22 cases (17.5%) two organs and 6 cases (4.7%) more than three organs involvement.
11) Simple closure with or without other procedure was performed in the most cases of injuries of stomach, small intestine and large intestine,
In 7 of 10 cases of large bowel injuries, primary closure with proximal colostomy was performed, and hemicolectomy was performed in 1 case.
Nephrectomy was performed in 8 of 9 cases of 9 cases of renal injuries, Simple closure with drainage was performed in the most cases of liver injury, but partial lobectomy was performed in 1 case.
Splenectomy was performed in all cases of splenic injury.
Pancreatic injuries were treated with pancreaticojejunostomy, pseudocystectomy and distal pancreatectomy.
12) The major complications were wound infection 41.3%, pulmonary complication 11.8%, fistula 11.8% and sepsis 7.8%.
13) Mortality rate was 5.6% and the main causes of death were hyovolem ic shock, septicemia.
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