Traumatic injuries

Abstract

Trauma is the fourth leading cause of death in North America and accounts for more lost years of useful life than any other cause (1). It is the number one killer in people up to age 44. With penetrating abdominal trauma, the colon and rectum are often injured because of the large area they occupy. Diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic procedures may cause perforation from within the lumen, and external penetrating or blunt injury may cause perforation from without.