injuries poisoning
Overview of Abdominal Trauma
Etiology of Abdominal Trauma
Abdominal trauma is typically also categorized by mechanism of injury: Blunt Penetrating Blunt traumamay involve a direct blow (eg, kick), impact with an object (eg, fall on bicycle handlebars), or sudden deceleration (eg, fall from a height, vehicle crash). The spleen is the organ damaged most commonly, followed by the liver and a hollow viscus (typically the small intestine). Penetrating injuriesmay or may not penetrate the peritoneum and, even if they do, they may not cause organ injury. Stab wounds are less likely than gunshot wounds to damage intra-abdominal structures; in both, any structure can be affected. Penetrating trauma to the chest below the fourth intercostal space (or nipple line) should also be evaluated as a potential abdominal wound because of the location of abdominal organs within the chest during the respiratory cycle. ), and kidneys (see Renal Trauma ). Blunt or penetrating injury that affects intra-abdominal structures may also damage the Spinal Trauma , 