deadly bleed. The main goal is to stop any sources of bleeding before moving onto any definitive find and repair any injuries that are found. Due to the time sensitive nature, this procedure also emphasizes expedience in terms of gaining access and controlling the bleeding, thus favoring a long midline incision. Intra-abdominal injuries are also frequently successfully treated nonoperatively as there is little benefit shown if there is no known active bleeding or potential for infection. The use of CT scanning allows care providers to use less surgery because they can identify injuries that can be managed conservatively and rule out other injuries that would need surgery. Depending on the injuries, a person may or may not need intensive care. For injuries that penetrate the peritoneal cavity (penetrating abdominal trauma), prophylactic (preventative) antibiotics are often administered with the goal of reducing the risk of sepsis and septic complications, including septicaemia, abscesses in the abdomen, and wound infections. The effectiveness of the use of antibiotics prophylactically for penetrating abdominal trauma has not been well studied and there is no strong evidence to support one particular antibiotic type or dose over another. The length of time that these antibiotics should be used for is also not clear. Prognosis If abdominal injury is not diagnosed promptly, a worse outcome is associated. Delayed treatment is associated with an especially high morbidity and mortality if perforation of the gastrointestinal tract is involved. Epidemiology In the United Kingdom, abdominal trauma due to road traffic accidents and assaults are most common. This situation is reversed in South Africa and United States where firearms related trauma are the most common. Most deaths resulting from abdominal trauma are preventable; abdominal trauma is one of the most common causes of preventable, trauma-related deaths. References Bibliography External links Injuries of abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine and pelvis Medical emergencies Trauma types