A Study on the Prevalence and Pattern of Abdominal Organ Injuries Without Evidence of External Injury

No other region in the body has been as intriguing as the abdomen in so far as its response to blunt trauma with regard to the pattern and occurrence of visceral injuries. Little wonder that surgeons of all ilk have been referring to the abdomen as a magic box. This study was carried out utilizing the data from 185 cases of autopsies involving blunt traumatic abdominal fatalities. The objective was to study the pattern and prevalence of internal organ injury without evidence of external abdominal trauma. The knowledge so gained may be beneficial both from the medicolegal as well as clinical perspective in early detection and management of abdominal trauma without external injuries. The important conclusions based on findings of this study could be summarised as follows. Nearly a third of the total number of cases (34.4%) revealed internal abdominal organ injury without corresponding external injury showing strong statistical association. Male preponderance was noted with majority of victims in the 21 to 30 year age group. Major abdominal organ involved was the liver, followed by perirenal injuries, spleen, mesentery and small intestines. Stomach and duodenum were conspicuous by an absence of injuries on them, attributable for the most part to their anatomical positions.