**Thoracoabdominal Injuries**

**Chapter 5**

**Provisional chapter**

**Abdominal Trauma**

**Abdominal Trauma**

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

be lifesaving if serious injuries are identified early.

**Keywords:** abdomen, trauma, surgery

chances of a successful outcome.

circulation, disability, and exposure.

**1. General evaluation**

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.76474

Abdominal injuries may be life threatening and should be approached cautiously. After trauma, the abdomen may be sanctuary for occult bleeding that, if not discovered and corrected expeditiously, may lead to deleterious consequences. Patients with abdominal trauma should have rapid assessment, stabilization, and early surgical consultation to maximize the chances of a successful outcome. Deaths from abdominal trauma result principally from hemorrhage or sepsis. Most deaths from abdominal trauma are preventable. Patients at risk of abdominal injury should undergo prompt and thorough evaluation. In some cases, dramatic physical findings may be due to abdominal wall injury in the absence of intraperitoneal injury. If the results of diagnostic studies are equivocal, diagnostic laparoscopy or exploratory laparotomy should be considered, since they may

Abdominal injuries may be life threatening and should be approached cautiously. After trauma, the abdomen may be sanctuary for occult bleeding that, if not discovered and corrected expeditiously, may lead to harmful consequences. Patients with abdominal trauma should have rapid assessment, stabilization, and early surgical consultation to maximize the

Initial management of patients with abdominal trauma is the same as for all other trauma patients. Begin with a rapid primary survey, including evaluation of the airway, breathing,

> © 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.76474

Göksu Afacan

Göksu Afacan

**Abstract**

**Chapter 5 Provisional chapter**

#### **Abdominal Trauma Abdominal Trauma**

#### Göksu Afacan Göksu Afacan

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.76474

**Abstract**

Abdominal injuries may be life threatening and should be approached cautiously. After trauma, the abdomen may be sanctuary for occult bleeding that, if not discovered and corrected expeditiously, may lead to deleterious consequences. Patients with abdominal trauma should have rapid assessment, stabilization, and early surgical consultation to maximize the chances of a successful outcome. Deaths from abdominal trauma result principally from hemorrhage or sepsis. Most deaths from abdominal trauma are preventable. Patients at risk of abdominal injury should undergo prompt and thorough evaluation. In some cases, dramatic physical findings may be due to abdominal wall injury in the absence of intraperitoneal injury. If the results of diagnostic studies are equivocal, diagnostic laparoscopy or exploratory laparotomy should be considered, since they may be lifesaving if serious injuries are identified early.

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.76474

**Keywords:** abdomen, trauma, surgery

Abdominal injuries may be life threatening and should be approached cautiously. After trauma, the abdomen may be sanctuary for occult bleeding that, if not discovered and corrected expeditiously, may lead to harmful consequences. Patients with abdominal trauma should have rapid assessment, stabilization, and early surgical consultation to maximize the chances of a successful outcome.
