Missed Isolated Transverse Colon Injury following Trauma at a Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

Abstract

Bowel injuries are not a common presentation following blunt abdominal trauma and delayed diagnosis is still a major predictor of outcome in the management of poly traumatized patients. Reasons are not unrelated to Patients level of consciousness, presence of other distracting injuries and most frequently physician related factors as regards clinical assessment and judgement. Furthermore, improvements in diagnostic techniques and improved clinical competence may lead to a decreased incidence of missed injuries amongst practitioners. We report an unusual case of isolated transverse colon injury following a blunt abdominal trauma in a Nigerian woman six weeks post trauma.