Penetrating Abdominal Trauma

Abstract

Penetrating abdominal trauma represents the hallmark of the trauma surgeon. Both gunshot wounds and penetrating injuries are capable of causing significant morbidity or death in any aged population. It is important to remember that the injury identified superficially may not correlate with the degree of injury internally. The paradigm of immediate exploration for all patients has also come into question over the past three decades and has been shown to be less effective than other methods of investigation in the hemodynamically stable patient. Described below is an appropriate work-up of penetrating abdominal injury.