March 3, 2026Open Access

Abdominal Injury from the past to the present

Key Points

Abdominal injury incidence shows a 1.6% annual increase, highlighting its growing prevalence in trauma cases.
The rate of non-therapeutic exploration in such injuries is reported between 25-40%, indicating the need for revised approaches.
Selective non-operative management is replacing mandatory exploration, reflecting advancements in injury treatment.
Classic indications for immediate laparotomy, such as hemodynamic instability and generalized peritonitis, still apply.

Abstract

The incidence of abdominal injury is 7 - 10% of all trauma cases and trending to increase frequency by 1.6% per year. Abdominal injury management is changing over time. Currently, the paradigm shifted from mandatory exploration to the era of selective non-operative management, based on the evidence of 25 - 40% non-therapeutic exploration rate in penetrating anterior abdominal injury and blunt abdominal injury who received mandatory laparotomy. However, classic indications for immediate laparotomy remain the same such as hemodynamic instability, generalized peritonitis, evidence of GI injury, diaphragm injury, intraperitoneal bladder rupture, evisceration and impalement in situ.

Abdominal Injury from the past to the present

Key Points

Abstract

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