Non‐operative management for paediatric abdominal trauma in <scp>Hong Kong</scp> : A 25‐year multicentre review

Abstract Objectives Abdominal trauma is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the paediatric population worldwide. Alongside advances in endovascular interventions, non‐operative management (NOM) has become the standard of care for paediatric solid organ injuries. This study investigated the spectrum of paediatric abdominal trauma in Hong Kong and the practice of NOM in this population. Methodology Paediatric patients aged 16 or younger admitted to 3 paediatric surgical centres with abdominal injuries from 2000 to 2024 were included in this retrospective observational study. Patterns of paediatric abdominal trauma were evaluated. Results One hundred and forty‐eight paediatric patients with abdominal injuries were identified, with 82.4% having associated injuries in other body regions. Over two thirds (68.9%) of the patients were managed non‐operatively. Liver, spleen and kidney were the most commonly injured organs. Operative management in 5 patients in earlier years was assessed to have deviated from the current NOM‐favouring guidelines. Conclusion Most paediatric abdominal injuries can be treated non‐operatively. More efforts in enhancing NOM application in appropriate children are warranted to prevent morbidities associated with surgical operations.