Trauma groups

Patients with suspected abdominal injuries from trauma can be roughly categorised into three groups:

1. Those requiring immediate surgery on clinical examination alone.
2. Those requiring further investigation using appropriate diagnostic tests to determine intra-abdominal injury and assess the most appropriate management
3. Those with no abdominal injury on clinical examination and where there is a low index of suspicion who require observation and re-examination.

Patients who are physiologically normal and who have no indication for immediate surgical intervention should be discussed with the surgical team early. A decision can then be made regarding any most appropriate investigations and the subsequent level of care for observation.