Canadian journal of surgery. Journal canadien de chirurgie
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Intestinal perforation after blunt abdominal trauma in children is rare and thus the diagnosis may be delayed. For this reason the authors reviewed their experience with 12 children to recommend a protocol for investigation that would reduce the delay in diagnosis. Of the 12 perforations, 2 were gastric, 2 duodenal, 7 jejunal and 1 colonic. ⋯ Serial films were valuable in aiding the diagnosis and are recommended, together with assessment of solid organ injury by radionuclide scanning. In this series peritoneal lavage was not used. No child died.