Pattern of Abdominal Trauma in North Eastern Nigeria

Fifty patients treated for abdominal trauma at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital between 1990 and 1997 were studied. Twenty three (46%) of these patients had penetrating abdominal injuries while 27 (54%) had blunt abdominal trauma. The overall peak age at risk was 21-30 years. Road traffic accident (RTA) accounted for 74% of blunt injury while gunshot injury accounted for 57% of the penetrating injuries. All those who had haemodynamic instability or had penetrating abdominal injuries had emergency exploratory laparotomy or wound exploration and definitive management depended on findings. Splenic rupture was the commonest intraabdominal injury in the blunt trauma group and these patients had slenectomy. Overall mortality rate was 10% and these were among those with haemodynamic instability at presentation. (Nig J Surg Res 2000; 2:48-51) KEY WORDS: Abdominal trauma, North Eastern Nigeria.