Abdominal crush injury in the Sichuan earthquake evaluated by multidetector computed tomography

AIM:To investigate the features of abdominal crush injuries resulting from an earthquake using multidetector computed tomography(MDCT). METHODS:Fifty-one survivors with abdominal crush injuries due to the 2008 Sichuan earthquake underwent emergency non-enhanced scans with 16-row MDCT. Data were reviewed focusing on anatomic regions including lumbar vertebrae,abdominal wall soft tissue, retroperitoneum and intraperitoneal space;and types of traumatic lesions. RESULTS:Fractures of lumbar vertebrae and abdominal wall soft tissue injuries were more common than retro-and intraperitoneal injuries(P<0.05).With regard to the 49 lumbar vertebral fractures in 24 patients,these occurred predominantly in the transverse process(P<0.05),and 66.67%of patients(16/24) had fractures of multiple vertebrae,predominantly two vertebrae in 62.5%of patients(10/16),mainly in L1-3 vertebrae in 81.63%of the vertebrae(40/49). Retroperitoneal injuries occurred more frequently than intraperitoneal injuries(P<0.05),and renal and liver injuries were most often seen in the retroperitoneum and in the intraperitoneal space,respectively(all P< 0.05). CONCLUSION:Transverse process fractures in two vertebrae among L1-3 vertebrae,injury of abdominal wall soft tissue,and renal injury might be features of earthquake-related crush abdominal injury.