Abdominal Stab Wound With Omental Evisceration

Among 100 patients with omental evisceration due to abdominal stab wounds admitted consecutively to the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center, Los Angeles, major intraperitoneal injuries occurred in 69 cases. These injuries involved the small bowel (28), large bowel (15), spleen (three), stomach (ten), liver (14), diaphragm (nine), and pancreas (four). The incidence of major visceral injury coincidental to stab wounds with omental evisceration supports a policy of routine exploratory celiotomy in cases of abdominal stab wounds with omental evisceration.