Management of thoracoabdominal trauma in children

Abstract

Thoracoabdominal trauma causes injuries which are difficult to handle and to diagnose clinically; in health they are effective in patients with multiple traumas where a proper management is vital. A cross-sectional descriptive study with 65 patients who were admitted to the Jose Luis Miranda Pediatric University Hospital in Santa Clara, Villa Clara, in order to assess its impact on the period from January 2009 to December 2011. Males predominated, and the main cause of the trauma was traffic accidents. The most affected age group was the group of children between five and nine years of age, and thoracic injury was the most frequent. The patients who were conservatively treated had better outcomes because they had a lower percent of complications. Over 90% of children had successful outcomes.

Keywords

• traumatismos torácicos
• traumatismos abdominales
• niño