Traumatic colorectal injuries in children: The National Trauma Database experience

[Severe combined injury of the rectum and bladder in a child]

Traumatic anorectal injuries are rare in pediatric surgical practice. Only several similar cases are described in the world literature. This causes no generally accepted algorithms and tactics for these patients. We demonstrate successful surgical treatment of combined trauma of the rectum and bladder in a child. A 13-year-old boy was hospitalized after the child sat on the leg of an overturned chair. No evidence of penetrating abdominal injury was revealed. The boy underwent sigmoidoscopy under general anesthesia. We found a lacerated wound of anterior wall of the rectum measuring 1/3 of its diameter with damage to posterior wall of the bladder. Diagnostic laparoscopy revealed intact abdominal cavity. Wall defects were sutured (bladder wound was sutured during traditional cystotomy), and we formed protective separate double-barreled sigmostomy. In 3 months after discharge, the child was hospitalized for cystography and fistulography with subsequent closure of stoma. In long-term postoperative period (6 months), the quality of life is satisfactory. There is no pain and disturbances of urination.

Life-saving interventions in pediatric trauma: A National Trauma Data Bank experience

BACKGROUND

Emergent procedures are infrequent in pediatric trauma. We sought to determine the frequency and efficacy of life-saving interventions (LSI) performed for pediatric trauma patients within the first hour of care at a trauma center.

METHODS

The National Trauma Data Bank (2010-2014) was queried for patients 19 years or younger who underwent LSIs within 1 hour of arrival to the emergency department. Life-saving interventions included emergency department thoracotomy (EDT) and emergent airway procedures (EAP). Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the influence of patient and hospital characteristics on mortality.

RESULTS

Of 725,284 recorded traumatic encounters, only 1,488 (0.2%) pediatric patients underwent at least one of the defined LSI during the 5-year study period (EDT, 1,323; EAP, 187). Most patients (85.6%) were 15 years or older. Mortality was high but varied by procedure type (EDT, 64.3%; EAP, 28.3%). Mortality for patients younger than 1 year undergoing EDT was 100%, decreasing to 62.6% in patients aged 15 years to 19 years. For EAP, mortality ranged from 66.7% for infants to 27.2% in 15-year-old to 19-year-old patients. Lower Glasgow Coma Scale score, higher Injury Severity Score, presence of shock, and a blunt mechanism of injury were independently associated with mortality in the EDT cohort. On average, trauma centers in this study performed approximately one LSI per year, with only 13.8% of cases occurring at a verified pediatric trauma center.

CONCLUSION

Life-saving interventions in the pediatric trauma population are uncommon and outcomes variable. Novel solutions to keep proficient at such interventions should be sought, especially for younger children. Guidelines to improve identification of appropriate candidates for LSI are critical given their rare occurrence.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Retrospective cohort study, III.

Laparoscopic Management of Pediatric Abdominal Trauma: A National Trauma Data Bank Experience

Purpose: To characterize injury patterns and institutional trends associated with the utilization of laparoscopy in the management of pediatric abdominal trauma. Methods: The National Trauma Data Bank (2010-2014) was queried for encounters involving patients ≤14 years who underwent an open or laparoscopic abdominal operation within 48 hours of emergency department arrival. Patient, injury, and hospital characteristics associated with each approach were identified. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the influence of patient and hospital characteristics on operative approach. Results: Laparoscopy comprised 7.8% (n = 355) of all abdominal trauma operations. Patients undergoing laparoscopy had lower injury severity scores and higher Glasgow Coma Scale scores on arrival compared with laparotomy subjects (P < .001). Laparoscopic patients also had a shorter length of hospital stay (5.0 versus 8.6 days, P < .001), but longer time to the operating room (9.2 versus 6.3 hours, P < .001) compared with their open counterparts. The proportion of cases managed laparoscopically increased from 6.2% in 2010 to 10.1% in 2014 (P = .013), with increase in utilization primarily driven by university hospitals (P = .026) and level I pediatric trauma centers (P = .043). Conversion to laparotomy was uncommon (18.6%), and mortality in the laparoscopic cohort was low (0.4%). Conclusions: Use of laparoscopy has increased in the pediatric abdominal trauma population, typically in a less injured cohort of patients. As familiarity with and availability of minimally invasive techniques increase, this trend will likely continue.