Lap belt iliac wing fracture: a predictor of bowel injury in children

Abstract

Lap belt restraints in motor vehicle collisions have been associated with a variety of injuries, mainly bowel and lumbar spine. Cephalad positioning of the belt over the intended position across the anterior superior iliac spines (which typically occurs in younger children) is thought to be responsible for the observed bowel injuries. We report two pediatric patients, both restrained by lap belts in high-speed collisions, who suffered iliac wing fractures in addition to bowel injuries. Unexplained free peritoneal fluid was the sole CT finding in one patient (a teenage girl) who had a delay in diagnosis of bowel perforation. These cases illustrate the high frequency of bowel injury in pediatric patients with iliac wing fractures associated with lap belt use.