Blunt Gastrointestinal Injuries

Abstract

Data of 73 patients who had been ascertained traumatic gastrointestinal tract injuries during 6 years period is reviewed. The blunt injuries are mostly result of vehicular trauma. The majority of intestinal trauma was repaired by simple closure or resection. Delay in treatment and the magnitude and number of associated injuries contributed to increased morbidity and mortality, which was 64.3 % complication ratio and 20.5 % mortality in this study. Following blunt trauma, the complications were also more common in the patients with multiple injuries. Infectious complications were the most frequent, postoperative ileus and intestinal fistulae are less often.

In 73 patiens severity of injury was evaluated by the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and Abdominal Trauma Index (ATI). The mean ISS was 20 in 73 patients. When the ISS was above 16, mortality rate was 27.7 %. /fit was below 16 mortality rate was 13.5 %. In this study the mortality rate in patients whose ISS was above 31 Is 80 %.

Mean ratio of ATI of the patiens is 19.1. ATI in evaluation of patient who sustained major trauma does not seem sensitive. In patients who has minor trauma (ISS 16) or isolated abdominal injury the mortality rate in patients whom ATI has been * calculated below 25 was 6.2 %, but if ATI is above 25, it was determined 60 %.