TRAUMATIC SEROMUSCULAR RUPTURE OF INTESTINE - THE ACUTE AND CHRONIC FORMS

Background: Traumatic seromuscular rupture of intestine in the acute f orm is recognized by surgeons and pathologists and has received mentio n in the medical literature. The authors encountered two cases of this lesion presenting in the chronic form, in one case initially going un recognized, both in battered children. To our knowledge, the chronic f orm of the injury has not been previously described in the literature. Three lesions in the acute stage were used to analyze the evolutionar y stages of the chronic presentation. Methods: The two chronic cases a re described, together with gross and microscopic photographs. Three a cute lesions are also described, with illustrations, two in battered c hildren and one in a pedestrian/vehicle fatality. Results: The three a cute cases illustrate the pathogenesis and gradation of the injury tha t, in the absence of surgical therapy, will develop into the chronic l esion. The two chronic case descriptions illustrate the gross and micr oscopic pathology and the pathognomonic features. Conclusion: Seromusc ular rupture of the intestine, when left untreated, develops in time i nto a lesion that may appear cryptogenic to the surgeon or the patholo gist. This paper defines that lesion and its pathogenesis.