Liver rupture in children | Liver crack – How dangerous is that?

Liver rupture in children

In children, too, a liver rupture can occur as a result of an external violent impact on the upper abdomen. The capsule of the organ is not yet as strong and the bony thorax also offers less protection than in adults, so that a rupture of the organ can occur more easily in the event of an accident. Possible causes are, for example, falls onto the handlebars when riding a bicycle, falls from climbing frames or from a horse while riding, as well as other play, sports or traffic accidents.

Boys are affected by such injuries much more frequently than girls. In children, the symptoms of an internal injury such as a liver laceration are often less obvious. Therefore, hospital admissions for monitoring after an accident should be considered early.

There is a big difference in the treatment of a liver laceration in children. While surgery is usually performed in adults, this is often not necessary in children. Instead, close monitoring and control is carried out, as well as treatment with painkillers and infusions.

Surgery should only be performed if there is circulatory instability due to blood loss or if there is also an injury to the intestine. However, this is only necessary in about five out of 100 cases. In general, such injuries are significantly less likely to be fatal or cause permanent damage in children than in adults. In most cases, recovery can also be achieved without surgery.