Pediatrik Cerrahi Dergisi, cilt.12, ss.23-27, 1998 (Scopus)
In this study, 30 children aged 2 to 14 (mean 7.2) years, treated for blunt liver trauma in our clinic between 1988 and 1997, were evaluated retrospectively. Preoperative diagnostic methods used were ultrasonography, computerized tomography, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and biliary scintigraphy. 21 patients were treated conservatively, while 9 patients underwent an emergency operation due to persistent hypovolemic shock, despite blood transfusion (>40 ml/kg). 6 patients out of 9 who were operated, died either preoperatively or in the immediate postoperative period. Liver trauma was isolated in 16 patients, while others had accompanying head trauma, orthopedic injuries, abdominal injuries besides the liver and thoracic injuries. None of the patients treated conservatively died, but 2 of them had a delayed operation for bile duct injury. High pediatric trauma scores recorded also in the patients who died may be due to the retrospective nature of our study bile duct injury must be kept in mind in patients treated conservatively.