Management of penetrating abdominal injury.

We present the results of immediate exploratory laparotomies for penetrating abdominal injuries that were performed in the past five and half years. Thirty-eight cases (37 males and 1 female) were collected in this study, ranging in age from 17 to 74 years, with a mean of 36 years. Nine suffered from gunshot injuries and 29 from stab injuries. The negative exploratory laparotomy rate was 22.2%, the surgical complication rate was 18.4%, and the mortality rate was 5%. In this retrospective study, we conclude that: 1. Patients with injuries of the abdomen or unstable vital signs should be operated on immediately. 2. Peritonitis signs are not absolute indications of the need for emergent exploration. 3. For the stab injury patients with stable pre-operative vital signs, conservative treatment with simple closure of wounds is adequate. Frequent checks of vital signs and abdominal condition can possibly prevent unnecessary operations.