Intestinal trauma, Analysis of 101 cases

Intestinal injuries sustained by 101 Swedish patients during the period 1950-1979 are reviewed. The abdominal trauma was blunt in 78 cases and penetrating in 23. Small-bowel and mesenteric, but not large-bowel, injuries showed increasing frequency. This was associated with rising numbers of motorcar accidents. Injuries to other abdominal organs were found in 56 of the 101 patients, particularly in those with mesenteric or large-bowel trauma. Clear physical signs of intra-abdominal injury led to rapid surgical exploration in most cases, but some operations were performed after relatively long observation. Most injuries, including those in the colon, were treated with primary repair or resection. Decompressive colostomy or exteriorization were rarely performed. Deaths were mainly caused by other factors than the type of operation. The mortality rate (35%) was constant