[Thoracic and abdominal trauma in children: study of 122 cases (author's transl)].

Authors present a review of patients under 7 years of age affected with thoracic and/or abdominal trauma not due to birth injuries, observed in the period 1966-1979. In these 122 patients, they observed 154 injuries, including 63 abdominal, 58 renal, 28 thoracic and 5 vertebral. Automobile accidents, falls and penetrating injuries, in this order are the etiological factors. Six patients died due to brain injuries (66%) and the rest of septic and hemorrhagic shock. Authors observed a high incidence of multiple injuries involving thehead, skeleton, abdomen and chest and the importance of recognizing these coexisting injuries to improve the prognosis. Finally, they point out that the pediatric surgeon's function is not only to treat the patient but to prevent the injuries through interdisciplinary meetings.