The New Zealand medical journal
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To establish the spectrum of penetrating trauma presenting to a city hospital and review the results of management, all patients brought to the resuscitation room at Auckland Hospital over a one year period were evaluated. Of 602 patients, only 41 (7%) had penetrating injuries. ⋯ Three of the four patients with fatal stab wounds died from exsanguination in the resuscitation room. A system which allows prompt resuscitation and rapid transfer to the operating theatre is needed to improve survival in patients suffering exsanguinating injury.