The incidence of closed abdominal injuries in patients admitted to St. Luke's Hospital, Malta after being involved in road traffic accidents, though not alarmingly high, is certainly not negligible. Of course, in cases coming to post-mortem, abdominal injuries are found in a higher proportion, usually associated with other lethal injuries to head and chest. The diagnosis of blunt intra-abdominal injury is always difficult and often obscured by shock, unconsciousness and the presence of other injuries to the head, chest and limbs. The most important decision is whether to explore or not rather than to determine which particular organ has been damaged. If in doubt, it is better to look and see than to wait and see.

peer-reviewed