The liver is the most commonly injured intraabdominal organ with an incidence of 30% to 40%. The overwhelming majority of liver injuries, however, are minor, with spontaneous cessation of hemorrhage almost always the rule, and operative intervention is rarely required.…
Injuries to the pancreas remain uncommon, occurring in <1% of all adult traumas and 3.7% to 11% of abdominal trauma. Despite advances in modern trauma care, including damage control surgery and improved imaging techniques, injuries to the pancreas present a…
Trauma surgeons must possess a comprehensive understanding of the diagnostic and treatment algorithms for duodenal injury as these injuries are unusual, but not rare, and can be difficult to diagnose. The surgical approaches are nuanced and can be complex, implying…
History Injuries to the small intestine have been described in the medical literature throughout history. Hippocrates was the first to describe intestinal injury from penetrating trauma. Aristotle is recognized as the first to report a small bowel perforation from blunt…
The stomach is a relatively thick-walled, well-vascularized organ that is variably positioned in the peritoneal cavity. Although partially protected by the lower rib cage, its size and location put the stomach at risk for injury, particularly with injury from penetrating…
Blunt abdominal injury Introduction The evaluation and management of the abdominal cavity in the blunt trauma patient has undergone radical change over the past several decades, due both to significant technological advances as well as a critical reappraisal of management…
You’re Reading a Preview Become a Clinical Tree membership for Full access and enjoy Unlimited articles Become membership If you are a member. Log in here
The abdominal cavity and the retroperitoneum lie immediately adjacent to one another, separated by a peritoneal lining. Some organs, such as the small bowel and the colon, have portions that lay within both the abdominal cavity and the retroperitoneum. Vascular…
Embryology, anatomy, and physiology The diaphragm is a musculotendinous organ that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominal cavity. This important organ arises from the confluence of the abdominal peritoneum and the parietal pleural during the first trimester of pregnancy.…
Incidence The incidence of esophageal injuries is low with most resulting from penetrating trauma. Esophageal trauma received little notice until the completion of World War II, with only 18 esophageal injuries recorded in the military records reviewed from that war…