• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.21-28
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• 2010

Purpose: In Korea, most abdominal penetrating wounds are caused by stab wounds rather than gun-shot wounds. However, not many studies have been performed on stab injuries and their epidemiologic characteristics. Disagreements of opinions of obligatory surgical exploration and conservative treatment exist, and this subject is still being debated. Therefore, the authors studied the epidemiologic characteristics of abdominal stab wound patients visiting the emergency department and reviewed the proportion of patients that received nontherapeutic surgery and conservative treatment. Methods: This study included patients visiting the emergency department with abdominal stab wounds. A retrospective chart review was done on the abdominal stab wound patients. Sex, age, cause of injury, location of wound, initial vital signs, operation results, injured organs and CT & LWE results were reviewed. Results: The median age of the 121 patients was 40.9 years, of these patients, 88 were males, of which 52 (43.0%) were drunken. Of the patients that received non-therapeutic operations, only 3 patients (15.0%) were drunken, significantly lower than the therapeutic operation group. For the location of the wound, most patients were injured in the right and left upper quadrants, 27 patients each. The most common injured organ was the small bowel; 13 patients were injured in the small bowel. With abdominal CT scans and local wound explorations together, the results exhibited a sensitivity of 97%, a specificity of 44%, a positive predictive value of 56%, and a negative predictive value of 95%. Conclusion: In our study, the sensitivity was 97% when CT & LWE were performed together; thus we can conclude that CT and LWE can be used together to select the treatment method. Although in our study, the surgical indications in abdominal stab wound patients is not sufficient, our results showed a higher rate of nontherapeutic surgery compared to previous studies. Therefore, more research is needed to prevent unnecessary laparotomies in hemodynamically-stable patients without symptoms.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.134-141
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• 2010

Purpose: A classic approach to abdominal stab wounds has been a routine laparotomy for the purpose of diagnosis or treatment. However, management protocols for abdominal stab wounds are still contentious in most trauma centers. We examined the relationship between the character of the stab wound and the injured intraabdominal organs by retrospectively analyzing the medical records of patients with abdominal stab wounds admitted to Gil hospital, and the findings for our patients are then confronted with a review of the literature. We aimed to propose proper management protocols to approach abdominal stab wounds. Methods: The medical records of all 80 patients sustaining abdominal stab wounds, admitted at the Department of Surgery, Gil Hospital, Gachon Medical School, from January 2004 to December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. All the abdominal stab wounds were collated based on the site and the character of the injury, investigations performed on admission, results of investigations, operations performed and findings at the time of the operation. Results: The most prevalent age group was patients in their forties and the average age of the patients was 41 years for both genders. The stab wounds were most commonly located at the periumbilical area (16.9%), followed by the epigastric area (15.6%), and 18.2% of the patients had multiple wounds. The most commonly eviscerated organ was the omentum (9 out of 16 cases); 61.7% of non-eviscerated patients underwent a therapeutic laparotomy while 81.3% of eviscerated patients underwent a therapeutic laparotomy. The small bowel was the most commonly injured organ (22.7%, 17 out of 75 injuries). The review revealed a relatively common diaphragmatic injury in abdominal stab wound patients (8 cases, 10.5%). The average hospital stay was 11 days. Conclusion: This review revealed commonly eviscerated and injured intraabdominal organs in abdominal stab wound patients and their relationship with a therapeutic laparotomy. Although the management is still controversial, the authors suggest indications for an immediate laparotomy and a protocol for managing abdominal stab wounds. Hemodynamic instability and peritoneal irritation signs are definite indicators for an immediate laparotomy, but the review revealed intraabdominal organ evisceration alone not to be a statistically significant factor. In addition, the authors suggest that abnormal CT findings can be valuable for making a decision on management of hemodynamically stable stab wound patients. Further study may clarify a role for a more selective approach to operative intervention and for a more extensive use of selective observation.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.215-218
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• 2015

Traumatic iliac vessel injuries constitute approximately 25% of all abdominal vascular injuries. Hospital mortality has been reported at 25~60% and is a result of uncontrolled hemorrhage and hypovolemic shock caused by extensive blood loss. We report the case of a 25-year-old female patient who experienced an external iliac artery injury caused by abdominal minimal stab wound. Traumatic iliac vessel injuries are life-threatening complication of abdominal or pelvic injuries and prompt diagnosis and accurate treatment are important.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.145-150
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• 2014

Purpose: To assess the accuracy and role of single-contrast computed tomography (CT) in the management of anterior abdominal stab wound (AASW). Methods: During 8-years period, single-contrast CT was performed in 21 hemodynamically stable AASW patients (age range, 22-64 years; median age, 45 years), including 19 men and 2 women. CT scans were evaluated by one trauma surgeon and one senior resident to determine the depth of injury(peritoneal violation or not), and abnormal findings of intraperitoneal cavity associated with stab injury. We retrospectively reviewed medical records regarding operative findings. Results: Nine patients underwent abdominal surgery and 12 patients nonoperative management. In the abdominal surgery group, abnormal CT findings included peritoneal violation in 14 patients and abnormal intraperitoneal cavity findings in 5 patients. There was no statistical significant difference regarding abnormal CT findings between abdominal surgery group and nonoperative management group. Among the nine abdominal surgery patients, therapeutic laparotomy was performed on 4 patients. The positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of peritoneal violation to predictive therapeutic laparotomy were 28.6% and 100%, respectively. In addition, the PPV and NPV of abnormal intraperitoneal cavity CT findings to predict therapeutic laparotomy were 40.0% and 87.5%, respectively. There was no statistical significant difference regarding the abnormal CT findings between therapeutic laparotomy group and non therapeutic laparotomy group. Conclusion: CT is a good adjunctive method to evaluate hemodynamicaly stable AASW patients. If peritoneal violation is not seen on CT scan, conservative treatment on local wound may be safely performed without additional abdominal surgery. However, further study is warranted to evaluate the exact role of CT in the diagnostic workup of AASW patients.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제23권1호
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• pp.49-52
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• 2010

A hemothorax usually occur, due to injuries to the intercostal and great vessels, pulmonary damage, and sometimes fractured ribs. We report a case in which the hemothorax that occurred, neither intrathoracic injury nor injury to internal thoracic vessels and organs, via lacerated diaphragmatic and liver laceration due to a right upper part of anterior chest stab injury caused by a sharp object. The patient's general conditions gradually worsened, so chest and abdominal computed tomogram were taken. The abdominal computed tomogram revealed diaphragmatic injuries and bleeding from the lacerated liver. We performed an exploratory laparotomy to control the bleeding from the lacerated liver with simple primary sutures. In addition exploration was performed in the right pleural space through the lacerated diaphragm with a thoracoscopic instrument. There were no bleeding foci in the right pleural space, the vessels, or the lung on the thoracoscopic video. Closure of the lacerated diaphragm was achieved with simple, primary sutures. The postoperative course of the patient was uneventful, and the patient was discharged.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.143-149
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was done to evaluate the incidence, type of injury, medical consequences, mortality, and prognostic factors associated with stab wounds in patients who visited Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 40 patients with abdominal stab wounds who visited Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, Seoul, Korea from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2004. Results: 1) The most prevalent age group was patients in their the twenties to fourties (77.5% of all patients), and average age of the patients was 39.3 years. The male-to-female ratio was 2.07:1. 2) The external site of stab wounds was most commonly the periumbilcal area of the abdomen (14 cases, 33.3%). 3) The most commonly injured organs were the liver and the stomach (10 cases each, 16.9%). 4) Operations were performed on all 40 patients, with 9 (22.5%) negative operation findings. 5) Death occurred in 5 cases (12.5%). 6) The trauma indices of the death group were TRISS 51.9%, RTS 3.6 points, and APACHE II 23.0 points. 7) The average transfusion amount of the death group was 13.8 pints Conclusion: These data suggest that the transfusion amount and the trauma index of abdominal stab injuries may be statistically significant factors for predicting mortality.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.52-59
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• 1980

Twelve cases of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries were treated at the Chosun University Hospital from Feb. 1977 to Inn. 1980. The following results were obtained. l. Sex ratio incidence was 5:1, which male patients were predominant. 2. The age distribution at these cases, were ranged from 16 to 43 years of age, and average age was 27 years. 3. Left sided traumatic diaphragmatic injuries were far more common than right, which approximately incidence of 5:1 diaphragmatic injuries were due to blunt trauma [7 cases-traffic accident, 1 case-fall down], and stab wound [4 cases] in etiology. 4. Surgical repairs were done through only thoracotomy incision in blunt trauma cases, and through each thoracic and abdominal incision same time in 2 cases of stab wound. 5. 2 cases {16.7%] of blunt trauma were died before operation at emergency room, and no man died during or following operation. An overall mortality was 16.7%.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제28권9호
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• pp.842-846
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• 1995

Recently, the trauma patients have been markedly increasing due to the vast increase of traffic accident, industrial disaster, incidental accident and violence. The authors have analysed of 22 patients of thoracic injuries combined with abdominal injuries and summarized as follows. The ratio of male to female was 3.4:1 and their age distribution was from 5 years to 68 years and mean age was 34.4 years. The etiologies of injury were traffic accident, stab wound, fall down and violence. Associated injuries were fractures, bowel perforation, kidney rupture, head injury, liver laceration, spleen rupture and so forth. The modes of treatment were closed thoracostomy, repair of diaphragm, ruptured bowel repair, explo-thoracotomy, splenectomy, hepatic lobectomy in this order of frequency. The postoperative complications were atelectasis, wound infection, pneumonia, empyema, acute renal failure, respiratory failure and bleeding. The mortality rate was 13.6% [3/22 and the causes of death were respiratory failure 1 case, acute renal failure 1 case and hypovolemic shock 1 case.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.262-265
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• 2015

An arteriovenous fistula (AVF) from the renal artery following a penetrating abdominal trauma is not common. We report the case of a 19-year-old male who presented with a knife stab wound in the right upper quadrant. Due to unstable vital signs and to the protrusion of the mesentery through the stab wound, providing definite evidence of peritoneal violation, an emergent exploratory laparotomy was carried out. There were injuries at the proximal transverse mesocolon and the second portion of the duodenum, with bile leakage. There was also a mild amount of retroperitoneal hematoma near the right kidney, without signs of expansion or pulsation. The mesocolon and the duodenum were repaired. After the operation, abdominal computerized tomography (CT) was performed, which revealed contrast from the right renal artery shunting directly into the vena cava. Transcatheter arterial embolization with a coil and vascular plug was performed, and the fistula was repaired. The patient recovered completely and was discharged without complication. For further and thorough evaluation of an abdominal trauma, especially one involving the retroperitoneum, a CT scan is recommended, when possible, either prior to surgery or after surgery when the patient is stabile. Furthermore, a lateral retroperitoneal hematoma and an AVF after a penetrating trauma may not always require exploration. Sometimes, it may be safely treated non-operatively or with embolization.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제28권9호
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• pp.847-850
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• 1995

For the purpose of evaluation of clinical characteristics in multiple rib fracture due to accident , 24 cases treated by surgical rib fixation using Judet`s strut for multiple rib fracture and flail chestduring the period from June 1993 to October 1994 were reviewed. There were 17 males and 7 females.They ranged in age from 19 years old to 56 years old. The causes of rib fracture were traffic accident in 18 cases, fall down in 3 cases, compression in 2 cases stab wound in 1 case. The number of rib fracture were five in 7 cases, six in 5 cases, four in 5 cases, three in 3 cases. Associated intrathoracic injuries were hemopneumothorax in 12 cases, hemothorax in 10 cases, lung laceration or hemorrhagic contusion in 7 cases. Associated extrathoracic injuries were abdominal injuries in 21 cases, orthopedic problem in 7 cases, head trauma in 4 cases. The most common fractured site was posterolateral portion of the ribs. The causes for operation were flail chest, severe rib displacement and pain, hemothorax or hemopneumothorax with continuous air leakage and stab wound. There were 6 postoperative complications ; one with hydrothorax, two with fibrothorax, two with wound infection and one case of death due to multiful organ failure. Postoperatively, all patients became comfortable and complained less painful. Twenty patients restored spontaneous breathing without ventilator support, three patients were ventilated during a day and one patient expired after 2 days. There were no morbidity and mortality related to operation.