Chapter 30, Abdominal and Genitourinary Injuries

After students complete this lesson and the related course work, they will understand how to manage a patient with abdominal and genitourinary trauma. The student will learn how to recognize life threats associated with these injuries and the need for immediate intervention. The curriculum includes detailed anatomy and physiology of the abdominal and genitourinary systems as well as the pathophysiology, complications, assessment, and management of abdominal and genitourinary injuries. The assessment section is very comprehensive and follows the primary and secondary model. Specific injuries discussed include blunt versus penetrating mechanisms, evisceration, impaled object, injuries to external genitalia, vaginal bleeding secondary to trauma, and sexual assault. Emergency care skills include management of blunt abdominal injury, penetrating abdominal injury, and abdominal evisceration.