TY - CHAP M1 - Book, Section TI - Abdominal Trauma A1 - Jones, Landon A. A2 - Stone, C. Keith A2 - Humphries, Roger L. PY - 2017 T2 - CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Emergency Medicine, 8e AB - Posttraumatic intra-abdominal injuries are common life-threatening injuries. The abdomen encompasses a relatively large area, extending from the apex of the diaphragm to the level of the iliac crests. It contains a number of organs and vascular structures that may be injured secondary to a traumatic injury and is also closely associated with both thoracic and pelvic structures. Any penetrating injury below the level of the nipple line—roughly the level of the apex of the diaphragm—warrants evaluation for intra-abdominal injury. Abdominal trauma is, traditionally, described as either blunt or penetrating trauma and the organs and structures injured may vary depending on both the type and location of the trauma. Most blunt abdominal trauma is secondary to motor vehicle collisions, whereas the majority of penetrating injuries are predominantly secondary to gunshot or stab wounds. Patients with abdominal trauma require rapid assessment, stabilization, and early surgical consultation when indicated to maximize the chances of a successful outcome. SN - PB - McGraw-Hill Education CY - New York, NY Y2 - 2024/11/12 UR - accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1176287940 ER -