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Abstract
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Consequences of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID- 19) pandemic include nationwide school closure. In countries with limited access to the internet and remote learning, 90% of enrolled students are being confined at home. With children resorting to recreational activities, we have seen an increasing trend of sports- related abdominal trauma in our region.
Bicycle handlebar injury (BHI) accounts for 5-14% of motor vehicle injuries that result in abdominal trauma in children [1]. Although, it is a low-impact injury, it can lead to severe internal organ damage. The initial signs are minimal and the symptoms develop hours after the injury, resulting in delay in seeking medical attention. We report four consecutive children who had serious internal organ damage secondary to BHI with one child with life- threatening abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS).
These four children (3 girls) were admitted with BHI to the pediatric intensive care unit of our tertiary teaching hospital between April, 2020 and May, 2021. The median age was 12 years and there was a significant delay in presenting to hospital. (median time to reach hospital; 14 hours). Clinical symptoms were varied with abdominal pain and distension, hematuria and handle bar-tattooing. Radiological imaging showed liver and renal laceration. All children required blood transfusion and the median hospital stay was 13 days. The children were managed conservatively with no mortality...
Language: en |