[Wounds of the digestive tube (especially of the colon and rectum)].

Wounds of the digestive tract most commonly observed in civil practice are those due to violent aggression or fighting. Two-thirds of the times, the wounds are caused by firearms. Upon reception of such victims it is essential to determine the precise time of the incident, their state of shock and the presence of abdominal signs (contracture or evisceration). The midline laparotomy must be large enough to allow a complete survey of the abdomen (incidence of associated visceral or vascular lesions). The most delicate therapeutic problem is posed by wounds of the colon. The conditions under which it is currently recommended to forget systematic colostomy are defined in the discussion.