A clical study of 238 cases of traumatic abdominal injuries who were treated atthe dep￢artment of surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital during the past 12 years and 4 months, from April, 1966 to August, 1978 was performed.
After clinical review, following results were obtained.
1. The sex distribution was 212 males (89. 1%) and 26 females (10. 9%) with 3rd and 4 th decades (55.4%)
2. The seasonal distribution showed the highest incidence in summer involving 77 cases (32.3%)
3. Among 238 cases, 171 cases (71.8%) were blunt injury and 67 cases (28.2%) were penetrating injuries, The causes of injury, in order of decreasing frequency, were traffic accidents : 84 cases (35.3%), stab wounds : 57case(23. 9%), violence : 48 cases (20.2%), falling down from height : 29 cases(12.1%), gunshots : 6 cases(2.5%).
4. The cases who were operated with in 6 hours from injury were 69 cases (30. 7%) and the majority of cases 149 cases (66.3%) within 12 hours.
5. The clinical manifestation were abdominal pain(97. 0%), abdominal tenderness (91.1%), rebound tenderness (79. 4%), abdominal rigidity(67.2%), diminish peristalsis (57.9%), and abdominal distention (39.9%).
6. Preoperative leukocytosis were noticed in 79.6% of cases. Abdominal pracentesis was valuable in diagnosis of blunt abdominal trauma and 50 cases (81.9%) of 61 cases had positve finding. Free air was presented in (73.7%) of hollow viscus perforation.
7. The involved intra-abdominal organs, in order of frequency, was small bowel (32.5%), spleen (11.9%), river (10.9%), kidney (8.5%), retroperitoneum (6.5%) stomach (6.1%), colon(6. 1%), and mesentery (5.8%).
8. 124 cases (56.8%) had single organ involvment, 54cases (24. 70) had two organ
involvment and 40 cases (18.5%)had over three organs involvment.
9. The frequently associated extra-abdominal injuries were chest injuries(16.8%), lower
extremity fracture (7.1%), pelvic bone fracture (6.7%) in order of frequency.
10. Simple closure was possible in most cases of injuries of stomach and small intestine,
in the injuries of kidney, nephrectomy was done in 17 cases and conservative treatment in
6 cases, Simple suture and drainage was done in most cases of liver injuries. Splenectomy was done in all cases of spleen injuries.
11. Incidence of postoperative complication was 35. 7% (85 cases of total 225 cases) and frequent comnon complication were infection(17.2%) and pulmonary complication(6.6%).
12. Mortality rate was 6.7%, main causes of death were septisemia (37.5%) and hypo￢volemicshock (31. 3%).
13. 127 cases (53.4%) were discharged within 2 weeks of admission.
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