Mechanism of Injury and Age Predict Operative Intervention in Pediatric Perineal Injury.

OBJECTIVES

Literature characterizing pediatric perineal trauma is sparse and generally limited to females. The purpose of this study was to characterize pediatric perineal injuries with specific focus on patient demographics, mechanisms of injury, and care patterns at a regional level 1 pediatric trauma center.

METHODS

Retrospective review of children aged younger than 18 years evaluated at a level 1 pediatric trauma center from 2006 to 2017. Patients were identified by International Classification of Diseases-9 and 10 codes. Extracted data included demographics, injury mechanism, diagnostic studies, hospital course, and structures injured. The χ 2 and t tests were used to examine differences between subgroups. Machine learning was used to predict variable importance in determining the need for operative interventions.

RESULTS

One hundred ninety-seven patients met inclusion criteria. Mean age was 8.5 years. A total of 50.8% were girls. Blunt trauma accounted for 83.8% of injuries. Motor vehicle collisions and foreign bodies were more common in patients aged 12 years and older, whereas falls and bicycle-related injuries were more common in those younger than 12 years ( P < 0.01). Patients younger than 12 years were more likely to sustain blunt trauma with isolated external genital injuries ( P < 0.01). Patients aged 12 and older had a higher incidence of pelvic fractures, bladder/urethral injuries, and colorectal injuries, suggesting more severe injury patterns ( P < 0.01). Half of patients required operative intervention. Children aged 3 years or younger and older than 12 years had longer mean hospital stays compared with children aged 4 to 11 years ( P < 0.01). Mechanism of injury and age constituted more than 75% of the variable importance in predicting operative intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Perineal trauma in children varies by age, sex, and mechanism. Blunt mechanisms are the most common, with patients frequently requiring surgical intervention. Mechanism of injury and age may be important in deciding which patients will require operative intervention. This study describes injury patterns in pediatric perineal trauma that can be used to guide future practice and inform injury prevention efforts.