An epidemiological and medicolegal study of nonpenetrating injuries of the abdomen at J.N. Medical College Hospital, Aligarh

The present study was carried out at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, over a two year period from July 1994 to June 1996. The aim was to study the Epidemiology and Medicolegal aspects of nonpenetrating abdominal trauma at this hospital. Out of a total of 72 patients who presented with abdominal trauma, 28 patients sustained nonpenetrating injuries which were included in this study. The age range was 02–58 years and the peak incidence was in the 2^nd and 3^rd decades of life. The male to female ratio was 4.6:1.64. 28% (18) patients were from the urban background. 42.80% (12) patients had accidental injury following road traffic accident while 28.60% (08) sustained injuries due to fall from height. 25% (07) patients suffered homicidal injuries as a result of blows and kicks by lathis, fists etc. 01 patient presented with an unusual mode of injury by being caught in the strap of a running tubewell motor, thereby sustaining severe abdominal wall injuries. The most commonly encountered external injuries were the presence of bruises and abrasions all over the abdomen in 21.40% and 17.90% of the cases respectively. In 57.10% patients there were no marks of any external abdominal injury, although the patients presented with clinical signs and symptoms of peritonitis. Fracture of the long bones (25%) and head injury (14.30%) were the commonest associated injuries. The commonest intraabdominal visceral injury seen peroperatively was haemoperitoneum (35.70%), small bowel perforation (14.30%) and colonic perforation (7.10%). All the patients were treated either conservatively or surgically. There were three mortalities from blunt abdominal trauma in this study, all of them had sustained injury following road traffic accident.