Abstract
The indications of laparotomy in patients with abdominal stab wounds remain unclear, because it is impossible to accurately diagnose visceral injuries by the commonly used evaluation methods, including physical examination, ultrasound and CT imaging. On the other hand, mandatory laparotomy for penetrating abdominal trauma results in a high rate of unnecessary laparotomies (UNL). We analyzed the data of 18 cases of abdominal stab wounds seen at our institute over a 7-year period. Of the 18 patients, 16 (89%) with suspected peritoneal penetration underwent laparotomy. Of these, 7 (43.8%) were classified into the UNL group. There was no case requiring delayed laparotomy and no mortality, however, the UNL rate was high as compared to other reports. Thus, there is need to devise a protocol for the management of patients with abdominal stab wounds including diagnostic laparoscopy, and efforts to decrease the rate of UNL.
