Abdominal Injury

Gas-containing sections of the gastrointestinal tract are most vulnerable to primary blast effect. This can cause immediate bowel perforation, hemorrhage (ranging from small to large bruises), injuries to the intestinal tissue, solid organ lacerations, and testicular rupture. Blast abdominal injury should be suspected in anyone exposed to an explosion with abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, vomiting blood, rectal pain, testicular pain, or any findings suggestive of an acute abdomen. Clinical findings may be absent until the onset of complications.

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