CLINICAL PRESENTATION AND RADIOGRAPHIC IDENTIFICATION OF SMALL-BOWEL RUPTURE FOLLOWING BLUNT TRAUMA IN CHILDREN

The incidence of significant intraabdominal injuries from blunt trauma in children is low (1-8%); however, a missed intestinal laceration ma y result in a devastating, if not morbid, consequence. We present retr ospective case studies of eight children with intestinal lacerations f ollowing blunt trauma. Each patient has a unique anatomic defect with misleading initial laboratory and radiographic studies. We did not rin d a single laboratory or roentgenographic study to be consistently rel iable for diagnosis of hollow viscus laceration. The combination of a high index of suspicion and serial abdominal examinations, coupled wit h subsequent comparative laboratory and radiographic evaluations, prov ed most reliable in identifying patients with intestinal injury.