Survival following a gunshot wound of the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava.

A case with survival following a point-blank .32 caliber gunshot wound of the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava is presented. The patient, a young male also had multiple other abdominal injuries. A Dacron graft was used in the aorta, lateral suture in the vena cava, other injuries were repaired, and antibiotic treatment and irrigation performed. Packed red blood cells, Ringer's lactate, Plasmanate and nutritional support with medium chain triglycerides and ketones by mouth and amino acids by IV were given.