The demographics and outcome of patients with penetrating abdominal trauma admitted to emergency medicine department: A descriptive cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to determine the demographic and outcome of penetrating abdominal trauma in patients attending to emergency medicine department. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study in Imam Hossein Medical Center. Seventy five patients who came to our department with penetrating abdominal trauma during a 1 year period were enroled into this study and their demographic data and outcome (during the hospitalization) were recorded. The study was at Imam Hossein Medical Center, Tehran, Iran, from 2009 to 2010. RESULTS: Our findings indicate these notable results: 84% of patients were less than 40 years old, most patients attended emergency department during the spring and summer, 72 patients (96%) arrived between 7 pm and 7 am, 74 patients (98.7%) had stab wound and one person (1.3%) was shot, eventually 46 patients (61%) had laparatomy performed and 2 patients (2.7%) died. 59 patients out of 75 study cases appealed to police department and legal medicine council. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of abdominal penetrating trauma due to stab wound is much higher than gunshot in our community, which indicates the importance of educating the emergency staff and preparing the emergency department work place to attend to these patients, especially during the night hours.