Nagpur: In an interaction with Nagpur Today, Dr Rajvilas Narkhede, Surgical Gastroenterologist, HPB and Advanced Laporoscopic Surgeon at Alexis Multispeciality Hospital, Nagpur, threw light on Abdominal Trauma.
Dr Narkhede said that abdominal trauma is 7th common cause of death. Abdominal trauma is one of the commonest trauma following head and chest trauma. 85% of the abdominal injuries are of blunt type whereas rest may have penetration of abdominal wall, he stated.
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Wednesday 19 March 2025
Which organs are commonly injured?
Dr Narkhede said that liver and spleen injury comprise 75% of these injuries. However, other organs like the small intestine, large intestine, pancreas and mesentery can get injured in various injuries.
What treatment is necessary at the site of accident?
The Surgeon said, “Take the patient to a safe area and call for medical help. Confirm that patients have ABC (airway, breathing and circulation). Patients with associated limb and spine trauma should be immobilized and compression should be applied to any bleeding sites”, the doctor stressed.
What is the immediate treatment required?
These patients need resuscitation with intravenous fluids to maintain their vitals while thorough examination and imaging like FAST (focused abdominal sonography for trauma) and CT scan can be done to assess the organ of injury and its extent. Many times urgent blood transfusion may be required in patients with massive blood loss.
What can be done to prevent fatal effects of trauma?
When such injury occurs it is important to attend medical treatment as early as possible. Every minute delay may change the outcomes in severe injuries. Although most injuries can be treated without surgery, many patients with injury to intestines, active ongoing bleeding and injury to blood vessels need emergency surgery.
“In blunt abdominal trauma may cause traumatic perforation of intestines which need urgent surgical repair. Trauma to liver and spleen can be managed without surgery, but surgery may be required whenever there is excessive bleeding which does not stop with medical management. Other complex injuries to pancreas, duodenum, diaphragm and major blood vessels may need various surgical interventions and complex reconstructions depending upon complexity of injury,” Dr Narkhede said.
Prevention is the best cure!
Although injuries can be treated, they cast a long lasting psychological imprint on a patient’s mind. People need to be aware about safe driving habits, use of protective gear like helmets and seat belts and hazards of drinking and driving to prevent such injuries, Dr Narkhede stressed.
