The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Jun 1986
Urgent and emergent re-laparotomy in trauma. A preventable cause of increased mortality?
In a 2-year period, 96 patients required laparotomy for trauma at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Fifteen patients required a total of 25 emergent and urgent reexplorations. ⋯ Factors predisposing to complications requiring re-laparotomy include multi-system trauma, blunt abdominal injury, and inadequate or delayed initial resuscitation and operation. Recognition of these factors and resuscitation and operation by personnel experienced in trauma care should lead to lower reoperation rates, and decreased morbidity and mortality when reoperation is necessary.