Operative Exposure of Abdominal Injuries and Closure of the Abdomen

Operative exposure and management of significant blunt or penetrating injuries to the abdomen is a critical skill required of all surgeons caring for victims of trauma. Application of damage control resuscitation and damage control surgical principles improves survival. Advances in diagnostics, increasing experience with selective nonoperative management, and use of endovascular and angiographic techniques have all significantly decreased the frequency of laparotomies performed for trauma. This decreasing clinical experience mandates that surgeons dealing with victims of trauma remain facile with the operative approaches and techniques detailed in this chapter to achieve optimal outcomes. Detailed management of specific injuries is covered in other chapters of this text. This review contains 7 figures, 2 tables, and 41 references.  Key Words: abdominal trauma, damage control resuscitation, damage control surgery, endovascular control of hemorrhage, open abdomen, REBOA, supraceliac control of aorta, trauma systems, visceral medial rotation