Definition
Anatomy
Abdominal trauma is any injury to the abdominal wall or organs within the abdominal cavity. External landmarks for the abdomen are the transnipple line superiorly, the anterior axillary lines laterally, and the inguinal ligaments and pubic symphysis inferiorly. Between the anterior and posterior axillary lines, from the sixth intercostal space to the iliac crest, is the flank. The back is the region posterior to the posterior axillary lines, from the inferior tip of the scapulae to the iliac crests [1]. These landmarks are relevant primarily in terms of diagnostic evaluation for penetrating abdominal trauma.
The abdominal cavity contains three components – the peritoneal cavity, the retroperitoneum, and the pelvic cavity – and includes everything between the diaphragm superiorly, and the pelvic floorinferiorly. The upper peritoneal cavity is partially within the lower thoracic cage...
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (2008) Advanced trauma life support for doctors, 8th edn. American College of Surgeons, Chicago
Cothren CC, Biffl WL, Moore EE et al (2010) Trauma. In: Schwartz’s principles of surgery, 9th edn. McGraw-Hill, New York
Biffl WL, Kaups KL, Cothren CC et al (2009) Management of patients with anterior abdominal stab wounds: a western trauma association multicenter trial. J Trauma 66:1294–1301
Biffl WL (2010) Trauma to the pancreas and duodenum. In: Mattox KL, Moore EE, Feliciano DV (eds) Trauma, 7th edn. McGraw-Hill, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2012 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this entry
Cite this entry
Slaughter, A.L., Biffl, W.L. (2012). Abdominal Trauma. In: Vincent, JL., Hall, J.B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Intensive Care Medicine. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00418-6_357
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00418-6_357
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-00417-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-00418-6
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine