An autopsy study of liver injuries in a tertiary referral centre of eastern Nepal.

BACKGROUND Liver is the largest gland in the body and it frequently gets wounded. The objective of this study was to determine the patterns, types and severities of liver injuries which were caused by mechanical trauma and to study the organs associated with liver injuries. MATERIAL AND METHODS This was a hospital based, cross sectional study which was conducted on the autopsies showing the evidence of liver injuries in the mortuary of a tertiary hospital in eastern Nepal. All consecutive autopsy cases which were handled within one year's time (n=46) were included in our study. The cases were studied in detail for liver injuries, which included age, sex, severity, associated injuries, site of the injury, description of the injury, etc. RESULTS The mean age of the victims was 33.87 years and there was a male: female ratio of 3.6:1. The injuries had resulted from blunt trauma in 41 (89.1%) cases, the most common of which was road traffic accidents, constituting 37(80.4%) cases. Grade III injuries were seen in 14 (30.4%) cases. Laceration of the liver was the most frequent finding that was evident in 34 (73.9%) cases. Right lobe of the liver was injured in 30 (74%) cases. The sole presence of liver injuries among abdomino-pelvic organs was seen in 14 (30.4%) cases. In 40 (87%) cases, liver injuries were associated with other regional injuries. CONCLUSION Laceration is the most common liver injury among autopsy cases. Right lobe is mostly affected and grade III injuries are the most common ones. Liver injuries are frequently associated with other abdomino-pelvic organs and multiple regional injuries.