Endoscopic dilatation as a new technique in managing pediatric duodenal hematoma

A duodenal hematoma secondary to blunt -abdominal trauma is a relatively rare condition and is usually managed conservatively. We report a case of a post-traumatic duodenal hematoma after a road traffic accident in a 10-year-old boy, who presented with progressive vomiting 3 weeks after the accident. The case was managed using serial esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) with dilatation. Controlled radial expansion (CRE) balloon dilatation was performed 4 times over a period of 11 weeks. The patient recovered uneventfully and remained asymptomatic at the 3-month follow-up after the last endoscopic dilatation. This case highlights the applicability of EGD with CRE balloon dilatation as an alternative to surgical treatment in patients with symptomatic post-traumatic duodenal hematomas.