Abdominal injury is the most subtle of all the injuries to the body, and is the most likely to tax the diagnostic skills of the trauma surgeon. Autopsy studies repeatedly confirm that abdominal injury is the most frequent cause of readily preventable death. This work's approach to trauma is to recommend exploratory laparotomy if there is doubt concerning the presence of abdominal injury. It maintains that there are no statistics available that support the contention that patients die from complications secondary to exploratory laparotomy, whereas it is relatively easy to prove that patients die of delays in the diagnosis of abdominal trauma. It is a fact that many patients die in sophisticated hospitals of readily treatable injuries as a result of having their injury recognized late or not at all. The second edition of "Abdominal Trauma" presents an update of all the previous chapters and includes revised chapters from "Urogenital Trauma", previously Volume 2 in this series. It covers trauma of the entire abdominal region - from the diaphragm to the pelvic floor, and presents the diagnostic skills necessary to identify and treat abdominal injuries. It discusses in detail the management of abdominal injuries, including assessment and resuscitation in the emergency room, diagnostic techniques, surgical exposure and techniques of repair, and postoperative management and anticipated complications.
