Penetrating Abdominal Trauma

Abstract

Trauma is a very well-known factor in premature death among young healthy individuals, and is the first cause of death in people below the age of 44 years. It also carries a heavy burden in terms of the economy of any country. 1,2 Penetrating injuries to the abdomen are commonly related to interpersonal violence and the distribution of injuries varies greatly. Sadly, pre-hospital deaths cannot be controlled by medical action. However, the way patients are managed once they get to hospital can influence the outcome of such injuries.The purpose of this study was to give an overview of the characteristics of patients presenting with penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT) in our area, and to try to identify a pattern of organ-specific injury that could influence the morbidity and mortality of our patients, if such a pattern was present.