Successful rescue of a child with fall-related multi-organ injuries

Zi-Hao Yang, Chen-Mei Zhang, Xiao-Fang Lou, Zhen-Jie Chen, Sheng Ye

Hangzhou, China

Author Affiliations: Department of Pediatric ICU, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine and Zhejiang Laboratory for Diagnosis and Therapy of Neonatal Disease, Hangzhou 310003, China (Yang ZH, Zhang CM, Lou XF, Chen ZJ, Ye S)

Corresponding Author: Sheng Ye, Department of Pediatric ICU, Children's Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, 57 Zhugan Xiang, Hangzhou 310003, China (Tel: +86-13588074637; Fax: +86-571-87033296; Email: yeshengchina@126.com)

doi: 10.1007/s12519-013-0401-9

Background: Fall-related injury is a major cause of accidental death and is rarely reported in children. Even successful treatment of children with multi-organ injuries caused by fall from the extreme height has been rarely reported.

Methods: We herein report a 2-year-old girl who fell from the 10th floor, had multi-organ injuries, and was successfully rescued.

Results: The girl sustained multi-organ injuries, such as head injury, closed abdominal injury, as well as fractures of the left limbs, and successfully recovered after two surgeries and supportive treatment.

Conclusions: This case illustrates that a child who falls from extreme heights can occasionally be rescued. Early neuroprotective strategies help to improve neurological recovery.

Key words: child; fall-related injury; trauma

World J Pediatr 2013;9(3):281-283