Management of 52 small bowel perforations following gunshot injury: A case report

Abstract

Small bowel injury is one of the most common abdominal injuries following penetrating injuries and is usually secondary to gunshot, stab, or impalement injuries to the abdomen. We report a case of shotgun injury to the abdomen in a hemodynamically stable man. He had an emergency exploratory laparotomy, during which 52 small bowel perforations and 1 transverse colon perforation were found. He was managed by damage control surgery involving a temporary nonclosure of the anterior abdominal wall with resuscitation and a second look laparotomy after 48h.