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Abstract

Background:Patients with penetrating abdominal trauma have mostly hollow viscus injury; however this diagnosis was infrequent in blunt abdominal trauma. The early diagnosis, surgical intervention and management of Management of hollow viscus injury that caused by blunt trauma to abdomen remain a challenge for surgeons.Aim of the Study:To determine the presentation, anatomical distribution, diagnostic method and management of hollow viscus injury from blunt abdominal trauma.Patients and methods:This was a retrospective study including patients with hollow viscus injury due to blunt abdominal trauma admitted at Al- Hilla teaching hospital over a period of four years (January 2015 – March 2018). Data were retrieved from patients’ medical records. All patients with hollow viscus injury (H.V.I.) caused by blunt abdominal trauma, who underwent laparotomy in our hospital, were reviewed.Results:A total of 124 patients were enrolled in this study, their age ranged between 11 and 80 years. Males represented 85.5% of the patients. Injuries of ileum was the commonest contributed 46.8% followed by  jejunum (38.7%).  The most common cause of blunt abdominal trauma was road traffic accident (R.T.A.) (59.7%) followed by fall from height (F.F.H.) (30.6%). Associated injuries were found in (44.4%) of patients. Treatment included primary closure of the perforations in (54.9%) patients, resection and anastomosis (16.1%) and stoma in (29%) of patients.Conclusions:Despite early diagnosis of hollow viscus injury caused by blunt abdominal trauma might be difficult in all patients, it was very important because of its tremendous life threatening potential. Age of the patient, anatomical distribution and time of presentation were probably main prognostic factors.