Ƒodo ƒe ʋuʋudedi kple ƒodo ƒe abi si le ʋuʋu ɖi dzi kpɔkpɔ¶
Xexlẽme kpatawo toa vovo le dukɔ ɖesiaɖe me. Axa sia zã 911, si nye xexlẽdzesi na United States kple Canada. Dukɔ bubu geɖewo zãa 112, 999, alo xexlẽdzesi bubu. Di xexlẽdzesi si le miaƒe dukɔa me.
ƒodo ƒe ʋuʋudedi dzɔna ne ʋuʋudedi blibo si to ŋutigbalẽ, ŋutigbalẽ te ami, rectus abdominis lãmeka, fascia, kple parietal peritoneum me ɖea mɔ na ŋutinu ememetɔwo (zi geɖe la, dɔgbo sue ƒe loops alo ami omentum gãtɔ) do go le ƒodoa godo. Aɖuɖɔtoe ɖeɖe ate ŋu atso nuveviwɔame si gena ɖe lãme na ame (hɛ ƒe ƒoƒo, aŋe si me ŋusẽ geɖe le, alo lãwo ƒe dzo ƒe ƒoƒo), ŋusẽ si nu sẽ si me mekɔ o, alo amekoko ƒe ka siwo wotsɔ blae ƒe gbagbã le dɔwɔwɔ vɔ megbe le aɖuɖɔtoe ɖeɖe vɔ megbe (amekoko ƒe abi ƒe ʋuʋu).
Togbɔ be dɔgbo ƒe ka pink siwo le keklẽm siwo le ɖiɖim ɖe eme le ŋutilãa godo kpɔkpɔ doa vɔvɔ̃ na amesiwo ŋu wòku ɖo kple eteƒekpɔlawo siaa hã la, dɔgbo ɖeɖeɖa ŋutɔ mewua ame enumake o negbe ɖe wotsɔe kpe ɖe ʋukawo me ʋu gãwo ŋu hafi. Ke boŋ afɔku etɔ̃ siwo doa ŋɔdzi na agbetsitsi kple ŋutinuwo ƒe agbenɔnɔ enumake do ŋgɔ na kɔdziyiyie nye mesenteric strangulation kple bowel desiccation (ku ƒuƒu), fulminant bacterial peritonitis ne wotsɔ ŋutinu siwo ŋu dɔlékuiwo ƒo ɖi la trɔ yi eme, kple rapid evaporative hypothermia triggering the Lethal Trauma Triad. Ne ènya alesi nàbɔbɔ amesi ŋu wowɔ nuvevii ƒe klowo be wòaɖe teteɖeanyi ɖa le ƒodo ƒe gli ŋu, nusita mele be nàtutu ŋutinu siwo do ɖe gota la atrɔ ayi ƒodoa me gbeɖe o, kple alesi nàwɔ dzoxɔxɔ ƒe mɔxenu si me tsi le si me tsi le eye wòaxe mɔ na ame eve la, eɖea dɔgboa kple dɔnɔa siaa ƒe agbe.
Wɔ esia fifia¶
- Ƒo ka na wò nutoa me xexlẽdzesi kpata enumake eye nàbia Advanced Life Support (ALS) kpekpeɖeŋunalawo be woatsɔ amekoko ƒe ʋuɖoɖo kpata. Ƒo ka na 911 le United States kple Canada, 112 le Europa Dukɔwo ƒe Habɔbɔ bliboa me, 999 le United Kingdom, 000 le Australia, alo nàlé ŋku ɖe... xexlẽdzesi siwo wozãna kpata.
- Mlɔ amesi ŋu wowɔ nuvevii la ɖe woƒe akɔta gbadzaa eye woƒe klowo nabɔbɔ (wobɔbɔ wo) le dzogoe si nye dzidzenu 30 va ɖo 45 dzi eye woatsɔe aɖo akɔtaɖonu alo avɔ si woxatsa dzi. Akɔta kple klowo bɔbɔ nana rectus abdominis kple psoas lãmekawo ɖea dzi ɖi, eɖea ƒodo me ƒe nyaƒoɖeamenu dzi kpɔtɔna, eye wònana dɔgbo ƒe ka bubuwo nagate ɖe abi la me o.
- NEVER attempt to push protruding intestines or organs back inside the abdominal cavity. Shoving exposed bowel back through a tight fascial defect kinks the delicate blood vessels in the mesentery (causing rapid bowel necrosis) and drives dirt, skin bacteria, and debris deep into the sterile peritoneal cavity. Only if a loop of bowel has spilled onto the ground beside the patient should you gently lift it onto the skin of the patient's own abdomen without twisting it.
- Tsɔ ŋutinu siwo woɖe ɖe go la enumake kple atike gã aɖe si me dɔlékui mele o si wotsɔ saline si me dɔlékui mele o (0.9% sodium chloride) alo tsinono dzadzɛ si me dɔlékui mele o de tsi nyuie. Mègatsɔ gauze ƒuƒu, pepa dzi afɔkpawo, tissue paper, alo kotoku si me fu le la de dɔgbo si woɖe ɖe go la dzi tẽ gbeɖe o; ka ƒuƒuwo léna ɖe serosal si xɔ dzo la ŋu abe aŋe ene eye wovuvua dɔgboa ƒe gli ne woɖe wo ɖa.
- Apply a second outer occlusive moisture-and-heat barrier (clean plastic cling wrap, a sterile burn sheet, foil, or a dry multi-trauma dressing) loosely over the wet dressing. Tape the edges of the outer plastic or dry dressing to the surrounding skin without pressing down on the organs, locking in moisture and stopping massive evaporative heat loss.
- Keep the patient strictly NPO (nothing by mouth) and wrap their entire body in warm blankets to prevent hypothermia and shock. Never give water, ice chips, food, or oral pain pills to a patient with an abdominal wound, even if they beg for water due to thirst from blood loss. Tell the patient to support the dressing gently with their hands if they feel an urge to cough or vomit.
Nusitae gaze ƒuƒu kple dɔgbo tutu ɖe megbe siaa nye vodada gã aɖe
Dɔgbo suea ƒe gota gome (akɔta alo serosa) nye lãkusi si le tsɛ, si ƒe titrime le abe lãmenugbagbevi ɖeka ene, si wotsɔa dɔgbo me tsi ƒe nusuekpɔmɔ̃ si wotsɔa ami sisinae. Ne wotsɔ ya ƒuƒu de eme alo wotsɔ kotoku ƒuƒu tsyɔ edzi aɖabaƒoƒo 15 va ɖo 20 gɔ̃ hã la, serosa la ƒuna, etrɔna zua kuvia eye wòte ŋu vuvu, eye wòblana ɖe kotoklobo ƒe ka ŋu tẽ; gauze ƒuƒu ɖeɖe le amekokoxɔa me vuvua dɔgboa ƒe gli eye aɖuɖɔ me dɔlékuiwo dona. Nusi gavloe wue nye be, agbagbadzedze be woatsɔ dɔgbo ƒe ka siwo vuvu, siwo me ʋuʋudedi le la agbugbɔ aƒo to abi gbadza si woda tu me la wɔa dɔ abe tourniquet ene ƒo xlã mesentery si le abe fesre ene si tsɔa ʋukawo me ʋu yia dɔgboa me, si ƒoa dɔgbo sue ƒe afɔwo hewua wo le aɖabaƒoƒo ʋɛ aɖewo ko me. Gblẽ ŋutinu siwo woɖe le ƒodoa me la ɖi blewuu ɖe ƒodoa dzi ɣesiaɣi eye nàna woatsi eye woatsyɔ wo dzi.
Emergency decision tree for open abdominal wounds and evisceration¶
flowchart TD
Start["Penetrating or Open Abdominal Trauma / Post-Surgical Dehiscence"]
CallEMS["Call Emergency Medical Services (ALS Paramedics) Immediately<br/>Put on nitrile gloves and expose abdomen by cutting shirt"]
Position["Position Patient Supine with Knees Flexed (Bent)<br/>Slide pillow or rolled blanket beneath knees to relax abdominal wall<br/>Keep patient strictly NPO (nothing by mouth)"]
ImpaleCheck{"Is a Knife, Rod, or Object Still Impaled in the Abdomen?"}
ImpaleProtocol["IMPALED ABDOMINAL OBJECT PROTOCOL<br/>1. DO NOT pull out the impaled object<br/>2. Press sterile gauze around base to control bleeding<br/>3. If bowel protrudes beside blade, cover bowel with moist saline gauze<br/>4. Stabilize blade with bulky twin-roll or ring dressing"]
EviscCheck{"Are Internal Organs or Fatty Omentum Protruding<br/>Outside the Abdominal Wall (Evisceration)?"}
OpenNoEvisc["OPEN ABDOMINAL WOUND WITHOUT EVISCERATION<br/>1. Control active external bleeding with firm direct pressure<br/>2. Cover wound with sterile dressing and tape securely<br/>3. Never probe the wound with fingers to see how deep it goes"]
EviscCare["ABDOMINAL EVISCERATION TWO-LAYER DRESSING PROTOCOL<br/>1. DO NOT push organs back inside cavity<br/>2. Layer 1 (Inner): Cover organs with sterile saline-soaked non-adherent pad<br/> (OR direct sterile plastic cling wrap if no saline is available)<br/>3. Layer 2 (Outer): Cover wet pad with clean plastic wrap or dry trauma pad<br/>4. Tape outer edges loosely without compressing organs"]
ShockCare["Prevent the Lethal Trauma Triad (Hypothermia, Acidosis, Coagulopathy)<br/>1. Wrap patient head-to-toe in warm blankets / foil thermal blanket<br/>2. Re-wet inner dressing with warm sterile saline if it begins drying<br/>3. Monitor pulse, skin color, and breathing every 5 minutes"]
Start --> CallEMS
CallEMS --> Position
Position --> ImpaleCheck
ImpaleCheck -->|Yes: Object Impaled| ImpaleProtocol
ImpaleCheck -->|No: No Object Present| EviscCheck
EviscCheck -->|No: Organs Inside| OpenNoEvisc
EviscCheck -->|Yes: Organs Protruding| EviscCare
ImpaleProtocol --> ShockCare
OpenNoEvisc --> ShockCare
EviscCare --> ShockCare
Ƒodo ƒe nuveviwɔame ƒe ɖeɖefiawo kple amekoko ƒe nɔnɔme kpatawo tsɔtsɔ sɔ kple wo nɔewo¶
Abi siwo woxɔna le ƒodo ŋu tso ŋutinu sesẽwo ƒe gbagbã siwo woɣla tẽ dzi va ɖo abi siwo woʋuna siwo gena ɖe lãme na ame kple abi siwo woɖena le amekoko megbe dzi. Nusiwo le ƒodo ƒe akpa enelia ɖesiaɖe me kple alesi ŋutinu siwo me do le kple esiwo le sesẽ wɔa nui gɔmesese kpena ɖe xɔnametɔwo ŋu wokpɔa mɔ na dzidziƒoame kple dɔgbo ƒe dɔléle.
| Dɔnɔdzikpɔƒe ƒe Nɔnɔme | Typical Mechanism | External Visual Appearance | Dɔlélenutsiŋutete ƒe Ememe Gbãtɔ | Specific Prehospital First Aid Protocol |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traumatic Abdominal Evisceration | Slash wound, large stab wound, blast shrapnel, motor vehicle ejection, or goring | Tubular loops siwo le keklẽm siwo le pink/red (dɔgbo sue) alo yellow lobulated fat apron (greater omentum) siwo dona to abi me | High risk of mesenteric vascular strangulation, serosal desiccation, massive evaporative heat loss, and 70% to 80% rate of associated internal organ/vascular injury | Supine with knees flexed; DO NOT push back in; apply sterile saline-moistened non-adherent dressing + outer plastic/dry cover; strict NPO and active warming |
| Postoperative Wound Dehiscence ("Burst Abdomen") | Sudden coughing, vomiting, or straining 5 to 10 days after abdominal surgery (especially with obesity, diabetes, malnutrition, or infection) | Sudden sensation of "something giving way" followed by a gush of pinkish-orange "salmon-colored" serosanguinous fluid and protruding bowel loops | Fascial sutures pull through edematous linea alba; bowel is usually intact (not perforated) unless mishandled | Have patient lie down immediately with knees bent; instruct to splint abdomen with a pillow if coughing; apply sterile saline-soaked towel + plastic wrap; call EMS |
| Penetrating Stab or Gunshot Without Evisceration | Knife puncture, ice pick, gunshot, or flying industrial metal fragment | Small slit or round entry hole; may have minimal external bleeding despite massive internal bleeding | Gunshot wounds have > 90% internal organ injury rate; stab wounds have ~30% to 50% peritoneal violation rate; hollow viscus perforation spills acid/bile/feces | Control external bleeding with direct pressure; never probe wound with fingers; check flank and back for exit wound; monitor closely for hemorrhagic shock |
| Impaled Abdominal Object | Knife blade, fence post, rebar, or glass shard remaining stuck in the belly or flank | Rigid object protruding from abdominal wall, occasionally with omentum or bowel squeezed out beside the shaft | Object provides internal tamponade against abdominal aorta, inferior vena cava, liver, or mesenteric vessels | Leave object strictly in place; cover any adjacent protruding bowel with moist sterile gauze; build bulky twin-roll or doughnut stabilizer around shaft |
| Blunt Solid-Organ Rupture (Spleen, Liver, Kidney) | Steering wheel impact, bicycle handlebar strike, seatbelt compression, fall, or kick to the abdomen | Skin is completely intact (or shows a linear seatbelt bruise sign across the lower belly); progressive rigid "board-like" abdomen | Left Upper Quadrant: Spleen rupture (Kehr's sign = referred left shoulder tip pain). Right Upper Quadrant: Liver laceration. Causes rapid internal exsanguination |
Lay flat with knees comfortably bent; nothing by mouth; aggressive thermal blanketing; rapid Priority 1 transport to trauma center |
Anatomy and physiology of an abdominal evisceration¶
Why the Small Intestine and Greater Omentum protrude first¶
The peritoneal cavity houses both fixed retroperitoneal organs (kidneys, pancreas, duodenum, abdominal aorta, and inferior vena cava) and mobile intraperitoneal organs suspended on flexible folds of tissue. When the muscular abdominal wall is sliced open and intra-abdominal pressure rises (as the victim cries out, tenses their core muscles, or coughs), the two most mobile structures inside the belly are immediately pushed out through the gap:
- The Greater Omentum: A yellow-gold, lacy apron of vascular adipose (fat) tissue that hangs down from the stomach over the intestines like a protective curtain. In small stab wounds, a plug of yellow-pink omentum often herniates out first, partially plugging the hole.
- Dɔgbo Sue (Jejunum kple Ileum): Lãmetsi, si ƒe amadede nye pinkish-tan peristaltic tubing si didi abe meta 6 (afɔ 20) ene, si wotsɔ lãkusi si le abe fesre ene si woyɔna be mesentery, si tsɔa mesenteric artery ƒe alɔ siwo le etame, veins, kple lymphatics la bla ɖe ƒodoa ƒe megbegli ŋu.
Lãmetsiŋusẽ ƒe mɔ̃ etɔ̃ siwo doa ŋɔdzi na dɔnɔ si woɖe eƒe dɔgbo le¶
- Mesenteric Venous kple Ʋukawo ƒe Ʋuʋudedi: Esi dɔgbo ƒe ka siwo le ʋuʋum to aɖatsi kpui aɖe si didi sentimeta 3 va ɖo 6 (inch 1 va ɖo 2.5) me le ƒodo ƒe lãkusi sesẽa me la, lãkusia ƒe goawo ƒoa dɔgbo si do ɖe gota ƒe gɔme kple eƒe lãkusi abe asigɛ sesẽ ene. Esi wònye be ʋukawo ƒe gliwo le tsɛ eye woƒe nyaƒoɖeamenu le sue ta la, woɖea ʋuka siwo dona tso dɔgbo si do go la me gbã esime ʋuka siwo me ʋu sina tona yia edzi nɔa dodom (ischemic dɔgbo ƒe kuku / dɔgbo ƒe ʋuʋu). Agbagbadzedze be woatsɔ ŋusẽ atutu dɔgbo sia si vuvu la ɖe megbe to do sesẽa me la, eƒoa ʋuka siwo me ʋu sina tona la eye wòvuvua wo keŋkeŋ.
- Serosal Desiccation kple Dɔlékuiwo ƒe Ʋuʋu: Ne wotsɔ gota ya ƒuƒu, ya, alo kotoku ƒuƒu siwo wotsɔ blaa dɔgboa me la, tsi vɔna le dɔgboa ƒe gota gome la, tsi vɔna le wo me eye wokuna le miniti 15 va ɖo 30 me. Ne serosa la nya ƒu eye wògbã ko la, dɔlékui siwo le dɔgboa ƒe ʋuka me la trɔna toa gli si gbɔdzɔ la dzi, eye amekoko vɔ megbe ƒe ƒoƒo alo dɔgbo ƒe ʋuʋu va zua nusi womate ŋu aƒo asa na kloe.
- Massive Evaporative Dzoxɔxɔ Bu kple "Lethal Trauma Triad": Amegbetɔ ƒe dɔgbo kple dɔgbowo xɔa dzi si dona le gbɔɖemeɣi ƒe alafa memama 25 kloe eye woƒe anyigba xɔdzo gã aɖe si xɔ dzo. Ne wotsɔ dɔgbo ƒe ʋuka siwo me tsi le la de ya si ƒo xlãe me la wɔa dɔ abe dzoxɔxɔnamɔ̃ gã aɖe ene, si wɔnɛ be dɔnɔa ƒe ŋutilã ƒe dzoxɔxɔ vevitɔ dzi ɖena kpɔtɔna kabakaba. Le nuveviwɔame ƒe atikewɔwɔ me la, Hypothermia (dzoxɔxɔ vevitɔ si le Celsius degree 35 / Fahrenheit 95 te) nana ʋu ƒe sisi ƒe enzymes megawɔa dɔ o, si hea Coagulopathy (ʋu suesuesue siwo dzi womate ŋu aɖu o) kple Metabolic Acidosis vɛ tso tissue hypoxia, si nye ʋu si doa ŋusẽ eɖokui si yia anyime si woyɔna be Lethal Trauma Triad.
Afɔɖeɖe ɖesiaɖe ƒe mɔnu: Ƒodo ƒe ʋuʋudedi dzi kpɔkpɔ¶
Afɔɖeɖe 1: Nukpɔkpɔ ƒe dedienɔnɔ, asigɛwo, kple klo ƒe nɔnɔme si wobɔbɔ¶
- Do atikewɔwɔ ŋuti nitrile asigɛ dzadzɛwo (alo klɔ asi eye nàzã mɔxenu dzadzɛtɔ kekeake si li ne asigɛ aɖeke mele eme o).
- Mlɔ dɔnɔa flat on their back (supine) ɖe anyigba, aba, alo abadzivɔ dzi. Mègana dɔnɔ si ƒe ƒodo me ʋu sina tona la natsi tre, azɔ ayi dɔnɔdzikpɔʋua gbɔ, alo anɔ anyi ɖe tsitrenu le dzidzenu 90 me gbeɖe o, elabena nuheŋusẽ kple ƒodo ƒe nyaƒoɖeamenu si le tsitrenu atutu dɔgbo bubu gbogbo aɖewo ado goe le abi la me.
- Flex the knees and hips: Gently bend the patient's knees upward to a 30-to-45-degree angle and slide a thick rolled blanket, pillow, backpack, or folded coat underneath their knees so their legs rest effortlessly without muscle effort. This single maneuver takes mechanical tension off the rectus abdominis fascia and immediately reduces the squeezing pressure on the protruding bowel.
Step 2: Expose the wound and handle displaced loops safely¶
- Use scissors or trauma shears to cut the shirt, belt, and waistband open around the wound. Never pull clothing upward over exposed organs; if a piece of cloth is stuck directly to the bowel, cut around it and leave the stuck patch in place to be soaked off with warm saline in the hospital.
- Never push organs back inside the abdomen.
- What if a loop of intestine is hanging off the side of the torso into dirt, gravel, or glass on the ground? While you must never push bowel back inside the abdominal cavity, you also cannot leave a loop of intestine dangling over the edge of the flank into dirty gravel or kinked sharply over the skin edge. Using two gloved hands (or a sterile saline-soaked dressing), gently rinse gross gravel off with sterile saline if available and lift the dangling loop without twisting it so it rests gently on top of the patient's own abdominal skin right next to the wound.
Step 3: Build the Two-Layer Moist-and-Occlusive Dressing¶
To keep the bowel viable, wet, and warm, build a two-layer sandwich dressing (or use the direct sterile cling-wrap method):
- Option A: The Classic Two-Layer Saline + Occlusive Sandwich (ATLS & Red Cross Standard)
- Inner Moist Layer: Take the largest sterile trauma dressing, sterile abdominal pad (ABD pad), sterile surgical towel, or clean lint-free cloth available. Pour sterile 0.9% normal saline (or clean potable drinking water if sterile saline is unavailable; warmed to body temperature 37 degrees Celsius / 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit if possible, never ice-cold) over the dressing until it is thoroughly dampened, then lay it gently over the entire mound of protruding organs.
- Outer Occlusive Vapor-and-Heat Barrier: Immediately cover the wet inner dressing with a sheet of clean plastic food cling wrap, a sterile plastic burn sheet, clean aluminum foil, a plastic bag cut open, or a thick dry multi-trauma dressing. This outer layer stops the wet inner dressing from drying out in the wind and stops evaporative cooling from chilling the patient into hypothermia.
- Tape the perimeter loosely: Tape the four outer edges of the plastic cover gently to the intact skin of the flanks and chest without pressing down on top of the bowel mound.
- Option B: Direct Clean Plastic Cling-Wrap Application (UK NHS, ANZCOR, and Paramedic Field Standard)
- If you do not have sterile saline and thick lint-free trauma pads immediately on hand, clean household polyvinyl chloride (PVC) kitchen cling wrap (pulled fresh after discarding the outer turn of the roll) or a sterile plastic burn sheet can be laid directly and loosely in longitudinal strips over the moist protruding bowel. Cling wrap is smooth, completely non-adherent (it will never stick to or tear the serosa), transparent (allowing trauma surgeons to inspect bowel color and perfusion immediately without unwrapping the patient), waterproof, and traps natural peritoneal moisture and heat. Never wrap cling wrap circumferentially tight around the torso.
Four materials you must NEVER put on exposed intestines
- Dry woven gauze, paper towels, facial tissues, or toilet paper: These dissolve and glue themselves into the wet serosa, causing severe serosal tearing and foreign-body granulomas.
- Fluffy absorbent cotton balls or raw cotton batting: Microscopic cotton lint fibers shed onto the peritoneum and trigger chronic peritoneal adhesions and bowel obstruction.
- Hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, povidone-iodine (Betadine), or antibacterial soap: Antiseptics are intensely cytotoxic to living peritoneal and intestinal cells; pouring alcohol or iodine onto exposed bowel chemically burns the intestine and causes fatal sclerosing peritonitis. Use only sterile normal saline or clean potable water.
- Adhesive tape directly touching the organs.
Special scenario: Postoperative surgical wound dehiscence at home¶
Roughly half of all abdominal eviscerations seen by emergency medical services are not caused by stabbings or car crashes at all; they occur at home 5 to 10 days after a major abdominal surgery (laparotomy, C-section, bowel resection, or hernia repair) when the deep fascial stitches give way, an emergency called acute abdominal wound dehiscence or "burst abdomen".
The warning sign that precedes surgical evisceration by hours¶
Before a surgical incision pops completely open, the deep fascial layer typically separates first while the outer skin staples or stitches are still holding on: * The "Salmon-Colored Fluid" Sign: The patient feels a sudden painless "pop" or tearing sensation inside their incision after coughing, sneezing, vomiting, or getting out of bed, followed by a sudden soaking gush of pinkish-orange, watery fluid (serosanguinous peritoneal fluid, classically described by surgeons as "salmon-colored fluid") soaking through their shirt or surgical bandage. * Ɣesiaɣi si ƒodo si wotso le amekoko megbe la na tsi si le abe pinkish-orange ene ƒe agbɔsɔsɔ gã aɖe do zi ɖeka la, fascial dehiscence dzɔ eye dɔgbo bliboa ƒe dodo gogo.
Immediate home first aid for surgical dehiscence or evisceration¶
- Have the person lie flat on the bed or floor immediately with a pillow under their bent knees. Do not let them walk to the bathroom or car.
- Teach "Pillow Splinting" for coughing or vomiting: If the patient feels another cough, sneeze, or dry heave coming on, have them gently hold a soft bed pillow or folded bath towel across the surgical dressing with both hands to support the abdominal wall so more bowel is not forced out.
- Cover any exposed bowel or open incision with a clean towel soaked in sterile saline or cooled boiled/bottled drinking water, covered loosely with kitchen cling wrap.
- Call 911 / 112 / 999 for ambulance transport back to the surgical hospital and keep the patient strictly NPO (nothing to eat or drink).
Recognizing internal abdominal bleeding and protecting against shock¶
Because 70 to 80 percent of traumatic abdominal eviscerations are accompanied by internal lacerations to the liver, spleen, mesentery, or major retroperitoneal blood vessels, you must continuously monitor the patient for hypovolemic hemorrhagic shock:
Early vs. Late signs of abdominal hemorrhagic shock¶
- Early Compensated Shock: Dzimaɖitsitsi, dzimaɖitsitsi, ŋutigbalẽ si le fafɛ si le ɣie, dzi ƒe tsotso kabakaba (tachycardia > 100 bpm), gbɔgbɔ kabakaba vie, kple tsikɔwuame sesẽ (ɖo ŋku edzi be: *mègana tsi nono gbeɖe o, ne dɔnɔa le kuku ɖem gɔ̃ hã; àte ŋu atsɔ avɔ si xɔ dzo aƒo woƒe nuyi ƒuƒuawo vie ko).
- Dzesi siwo fia be dɔgboa ƒe dziku (Hemoperitoneum / Peritonitis): Vevesese si kaka, dzɔ le lɔlɔ̃nu faa nu (ƒodo ƒe lãmekawo léna sesĩe abe atikplɔ ene ne woka asi eŋu vie gɔ̃ hã), ƒodo ƒe keke vivivi (togbɔ be de dzesii be ƒodoa te ŋu léa ʋu lita 2 va ɖo 3 hafi kekena wòdzena nyuie hã), kple **Kehr ƒe dzesi ** (vevesese sesẽ si wosena le miame abɔta ƒe nugbɔ si ʋu si tso dɔgbo si gbã si doa dziku na phrenic lãmekaa gbɔ).
- Late Decompensated Shock: Ʋu ƒe sisi (radial pulse si gbɔdzɔ alo mele asibidɛ dzi o), tɔtɔ alo kuviawɔwɔ, ŋutigbalẽ si le blɔ si me fliwo le, kple gbɔgbɔtsixe si me goglo o kabakaba.
Dzoxɔxɔdzikpɔkpɔ veviedodotɔe¶
- Tsɔ ya ƒo ɖe dɔnɔa te KPLEE etame: Afɔtoƒe fafɛ alo ga ƒe anyigba ɖea ŋutilã ƒe dzoxɔxɔ ɖa kabakaba zi gbɔ zi etɔ̃ to conduction me wu ya fafɛ si to convection dzi. Tsɔ avɔ si woxatsa, kakɛ, alo jaketi te dɔnɔa ƒe akɔta kple afɔwo ne anya wɔ eye màʋuʋu woƒe akɔta o.
- Xɔ avɔ dzodzoewo me tso ta vaseɖe afɔ: Tsɔ alẽfu alo lãfuwu kple ga si wotsɔ lãfu wɔe tsyɔ akɔta, abɔwo, afɔwo, kple ta dzi be wòadzudzɔ ʋuʋu eye ʋu ƒe sisi ƒe dɔwɔwɔ nanɔ anyi vaseɖe esime dɔnɔa naɖo amekokoxɔa me.
Ƒodo ƒe ŋutinu ene ƒe nɔnɔmetata kple vevesese ƒe nɔnɔme siwo woyɔ¶
Ne ƒodo ƒe abi le sue alo ne nuveviwɔame si me mekɔ o na ŋutigbalẽa me gblẽ keŋkeŋ gɔ̃ hã la, atikewɔlawo maa ƒodoa ɖe ŋutilã ƒe akpa enelia siwo ƒe titina le vidzidɔa (akɔta) me be woagblɔ ŋutinu sesẽ alo do siwo me do le siwo xɔ abi kple nusita vevesesea klẽna zi geɖe yia ŋutilã ƒe teƒe didiwo:
| Ƒodo ƒe Akpa Ene | Ŋutinu Sesẽ & Do Siwo Le Te | Classic Injury Presentation & Vevesese ƒe Dzesi si Woɖo | Afɔku Gbãtɔ Enumake |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nuɖusi ƒe Dzigbe ƒe Akpa Ene (RUQ) | Liver, gallbladder, biliary tree, head of pancreas, duodenum, hepatic flexure of colon, right kidney | ɖusime akɔta ƒe akpa si le ete; Boas' alo Right Phrenic Sign (vevesese si woyɔna be ɖusime abɔta alo ɖusi abɔta ƒe nugbɔ tso diaphragmatic irritation to ʋu alo ʋumenugbagbeviɣi gbɔ) | Massive venous or arterial exsanguination from hepatic laceration or retrohepatic vena cava injury; corrosive bile peritonitis |
| Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ) | Spleen (most frequently ruptured organ in blunt abdominal trauma), stomach, tail of pancreas, splenic flexure of colon, left kidney | Left lower rib fractures (ribs 9 to 11); Kehr's Sign (sharp referred pain at the tip of the left shoulder, especially when lying flat) and Balance's Sign (fixed dullness in left flank) | Rapid life-threatening intraperitoneal hemorrhage; delayed splenic subcapsular hematoma rupture days after trauma |
| Nuɖusi ƒe akpa enelia si le anyime (RLQ) | Cecum, appendix, terminal ileum, ascending colon, ɖusime tsinyegoe, ɖusime iliac artery/vein, ɖusime ovary kple fallopian tube | Fecal or enteric fluid spill through wound; rapid onset of diffuse rebound tenderness and board-like involuntary guarding | Polymicrobial Gram-negative and anaerobic bacterial contamination causing fulminant peritonitis and septic shock |
| Left Lower Quadrant (LLQ) & Suprapubic Pelvis | Sigmoid colon, descending colon, urinary bladder, uterus, left ovary/tube, left iliac artery/vein | Gross blood in urine (hematuria), inability to void, or blood at the urethral meatus; pelvic ring instability; Cullen's Sign (periumbilical bruising) or Grey Turner's Sign (flank bruising from retroperitoneal hemorrhage) | Exsanguinating pelvic venous plexus or iliac arterial bleeding; intraperitoneal bladder rupture |
First aid care for an open abdominal wound requires calm composure when everyone else at the scene may panic at the sight of the injury. Consider taking a certified first aid, Stop the Bleed, or emergency medical responder course through your national Red Cross or Red Crescent society, the American College of Surgeons, or St John Ambulance.
Nya siwo wobiaa amewo enuenu¶
Why shouldn't I gently push protruding intestines back inside the abdomen so they stay clean and warm?
Pushing protruding intestines or organs back through an abdominal wound is extremely dangerous for two reasons. First, the loops of bowel are attached to a delicate fan-shaped membrane called the mesentery that carries all their arteries and veins; trying to stuff swollen loops of bowel back through a narrow tear in the abdominal muscle wall twists, kinks, and crushes those blood vessels, cutting off circulation and causing the intestine to die within minutes. Second, the moment organs touch the outside skin or air, they pick up bacteria and microscopic debris; pushing them back inside spreads those bacteria throughout the sterile abdominal cavity, causing life-threatening peritonitis and sepsis. Surgeons must first enlarge the incision under anesthesia, inspect every inch of bowel for holes, wash the organs with warm sterile liters of saline, and only then return them safely to the abdomen.
Why do you have to bend the victim's knees up when they have an open stomach wound?
When a person lies completely flat with their legs stretched straight out, the powerful hip flexor muscles (iliopsoas) and the long abdominal wall muscles (rectus abdominis) are pulled taut like guitar strings across the front of the belly. That tension squeezes the abdominal cavity and forces more loops of intestine out through the open wound. Bending the person's knees up at a 30-to-45-degree angle and propping a pillow or rolled blanket underneath their knees immediately slackens the abdominal muscles, lowers internal belly pressure, eases pain, and stops additional organs from protruding.
What should I use if I don't have sterile saline or a medical trauma dressing when an evisceration happens?
Your main goal is to keep the exposed organs moist and prevent any dry, fibrous material from sticking to them. If you have clean household plastic kitchen cling wrap, pull off and discard the outer dusty layer of the roll, then lay clean strips of cling wrap directly and loosely over the protruding organs; plastic wrap is waterproof, traps the organ's own natural moisture and warmth, and will never stick to the delicate bowel wall. Alternatively, soak a clean, smooth, lint-free cloth or freshly ironed bedsheet in clean bottled drinking water or cooled boiled tap water, lay it gently over the organs, and cover that wet cloth with a clean plastic bag or foil to hold in the moisture and heat.
Why can't I use dry gauze, paper towels, or hydrogen peroxide on an open abdominal wound?
Never put dry gauze, paper towels, facial tissues, or cotton balls onto exposed organs. The outer membrane of the intestine is only one cell thick; dry cotton or paper fibers bond instantly to that wet membrane, and when doctors have to peel the stuck gauze off in the operating room, it rips the wall of the intestine open. Likewise, never pour hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, or iodine into an open abdominal wound or onto exposed organs, as these chemicals burn and kill living internal tissues on contact.
Why is a patient with abdominal bleeding so thirsty, and why can't I give them a sip of water?
When a person loses blood internally or externally, sensors in their blood vessels and kidneys detect the drop in fluid volume and trigger an intense brain reflex for thirst. However, giving water, sports drinks, or ice chips to someone with an open abdominal injury is dangerous for two reasons: first, if the stomach or intestine has a puncture hole inside, swallowed water will leak straight out of the gut into the abdominal cavity along with stomach acid and bacteria; second, the patient will need immediate emergency general anesthesia in the operating room within minutes of arriving at the hospital, and water in the stomach causes a high risk of vomiting and inhaling fluid into the lungs during intubation. You may only wipe their dry lips with a damp cloth.
What does it mean if a surgical incision on the belly suddenly leaks a gush of pinkish-orange watery fluid a week after surgery?
A sudden gush of pinkish-orange watery fluid (known medically as "salmon-colored" serosanguinous fluid) soaking through a surgical dressing 5 to 10 days after an abdominal operation is the classic warning sign of deep fascial wound dehiscence. It means the deep internal stitches holding the muscular wall of the abdomen together have pulled apart, allowing natural peritoneal fluid from inside the belly to pour out, even if the outer skin staples still look partly closed. Have the person lie down immediately with a pillow under their bent knees, tell them to hold a pillow gently over their belly if they need to cough, cover the incision with a sterile moist dressing, and call an ambulance or go to the surgical emergency department immediately before full evisceration occurs.
Wolé ŋku ɖe dzɔtsoƒewo ŋu¶
- American College of Surgeons (ACS, United States): Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Student Course Manual: Abdominal and Pelvic Trauma, Evisceration, and Hemorrhagic Shock.
- National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT, United States): Prehospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS): Management of Abdominal Evisceration and the Lethal Trauma Triad.
- Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC / Joint Trauma System, United States): TCCC ƒe Mɔfiamewo na Atikewɔlawo: Penetrating Abdominal Trauma kple Evisceration Management.
- Dukɔa ƒe Lãmesẽnyawo Gbɔkpɔha (NHS, United Kingdom) & Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC): Dɔwɔƒe ƒe Mɔfiamewo: Ƒodo ƒe Nuveviwɔame, Ƒodo ƒe Ʋuʋu, kple Occlusive Cling-Film Dressings.
- Australia kple New Zealand Kɔmiti si Kpɔa Gbɔgbɔyɔyɔ Gbɔ (ANZCOR, Australia kple New Zealand): Kpekpeɖeŋu Gbãtɔ na Ƒodo ƒe Abi Siwo Woʋu Kple Aɖuɖɔtoewo Ƒe Ʋuʋu.
- Dukɔwo Dome Atitsoga Dzĩ Kple Ɣleti Dzĩ Habɔbɔwo ƒe Habɔbɔ (IFRC, Dukɔwo Dome): Dukɔwo Dome Kpekpeɖeŋu Gbãtɔ, Gbɔgbɔyɔyɔ, Kple Hehenana ƒe Mɔfiamewo: Ʋudodo Sesẽ Kple Abi Siwo Gena Ðe Akɔta.