Abdominal Gunshot Wounds

Excerpt

Traumatic injuries to the abdomen can result from a wide range of etiologies and can lead to life-threatening injuries, multi-organ system dysfunction, and death. Gunshot wounds in the abdominal region can range from minor wounds to severe traumatic injuries depending on the anatomical structures the bullet penetrates. While the leading cause of blunt abdominal trauma-related deaths in the United States in adults ages 15 to 24 is due to motor vehicle collisions, abdominal gunshot wounds account for up to 90 percent of the mortality associated with penetrating abdominal injuries.

The most common cause of a penetrating abdominal injury is a stab wound or gunshot wound. In gunshot wounds, due to the high-intensity kinetic energy of the bullet, the pathway is often unpredictable in nature as well as the internal organs that may be affected. The most common organs injured are the small and large bowel at 50% and 40%, respectively. Also, the liver and intraabdominal vasculature are oftentimes injured as well at 40% and 30% involvement, respectively. Although direct abdominal trauma may be caused by a penetrating bullet, there may be shrapnel or fragmentation from the bullets that can disperse into the intra-abdominal cavity also causing injury.