English abstract
Trauma is the greatest cause of morbidity and mortality in paediatric/adolescent populations
worldwide. This study aimed to describe trauma mechanisms, patterns and outcomes among children with
blunt torso trauma admitted to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) in Muscat, Oman. Methods:
This retrospective single-centre study involved all children ≤12 years old with blunt torso trauma admitted for
paediatric surgical care at SQUH between January 2009 and December 2013. Medical records were analysed to
collect demographic and clinical data. Results: A total of 70 children were admitted with blunt torso trauma during
the study period, including 39 (55.7%) male patients. The mean age was 5.19 ± 2.66 years. Of the cohort, 35 children
(50.0%) received their injuries after having been hit by cars as pedestrians, while 19 (27.1%) were injured by falls,
12 (17.1%) during car accidents as passengers and four (5.7%) by falling heavy objects. According to computed
tomography scans, thoracic injuries were most common (65.7%), followed by abdominal injuries (42.9%). The
most commonly involved solid organs were the liver (15.7%) and spleen (11.4%). The majority of the patients were
managed conservatively (92.9%) with a good outcome (74.3%). The mortality rate was 7.1%. Most deaths were due
to multisystem involvement. Conclusion: Among children with blunt torso trauma admitted to SQUH, the main
mechanism of injury was motor vehicle accidents. As a result, parental education and enforcement of infant car
seat/child seat belt laws are recommended. Conservative management was the most successful approach.
