Print this page Email this page
Users Online: 19240
Home About us Editorial board Search Ahead of print Current issue Archives Submit article Instructions Subscribe Contacts Login 
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Year : 2017  |  Volume : 7  |  Issue : 1  |  Page : 22-26

Analysis of pattern and outcome of abdominal trauma in a tertiary hospital in Kano, Northwestern Nigeria


Department of Surgery, Bayero University/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Nigeria

Correspondence Address:
Dr. A A Sheshe
Department of Surgery, Bayero University, Kano/Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano
Nigeria
Login to access the Email id

Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None


DOI: 10.4103/ais.ais_22_17

Rights and Permissions

Background: Abdominal injuries are common surgical emergencies in casualty units of most developing countries. This is due to the high incidence of trauma arising from increased road traffic accidents and violent crimes as a result of socioeconomic and political conflicts. The aim of this study is to evaluate the pattern and outcome of abdominal trauma in our environment and recommend ways for improving the trauma services. Patients and Methods: The case records of 46 patients admitted during a period of 2 years, just before the onset of insurgency (2010–2011) and managed in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital were retrospectively studied for demographic characteristics, modes of injury, organs injured, treatments, and outcome. Data was collected on to Microsoft Excel 2010. Simple statistical parameters were calculated. Results: A total of 46 patients were studied; 35 (76.1%) of which had penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT) and 11 (23.9%) had blunt abdominal trauma (BAT). The male: female ratio was 8.2:1 with peak age range of 20–29 years. Stab wounds accounted for 46% and gunshot for 31% of PAT, while road traffic accidents (RTA) accounted for 82% of the BAT group. The intestine (41%), the liver (25%) are the most common organs injured in PAT, while the spleen and intestine each constituting 29% are the most frequent injured in BAT. Ninety-one percent had exploratory laparotomy, while (4) 9% were successfully managed non-operatively. The post- operative mortality rate was 16.7%. Conclusions: Abdominal trauma commonly affects the young adult males and remains a major source of morbidity and mortality in our society. Communal conflicts and road traffic accidents are the major causes. Promotion of ethno-religious harmony and road traffic education at the community level and establishment of trauma systems in hospitals will help forestall this trend.


[FULL TEXT] [PDF]*
Print this article     Email this article
 Next article
 Previous article
 Table of Contents

 Similar in PUBMED
   Search Pubmed for
   Search in Google Scholar for
 Related articles
 Citation Manager
 Access Statistics
 Reader Comments
 Email Alert *
 Add to My List *
 * Requires registration (Free)
 

 Article Access Statistics
    Viewed4385    
    Printed288    
    Emailed0    
    PDF Downloaded337    
    Comments [Add]    
    Cited by others 3    

Recommend this journal