PENETRATING GROIN TRAUMA

Course overview

PENETRATING GROIN TRAUMA IS AN INFREQUENT YET COMPLEX INJURY THAT REQUIRES QUICK IDENTIFICATION, EVALUATION, AND TREATMENT IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AND TRAUMA BAY SETTING. MULTIPLE ORGAN SYSTEMS CAN SUSTAIN AN INJURY WITH A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF MORTALITY AND ACUTE AND CHRONIC MORBIDITY. PROMPT IDENTIFICATION OF INJURIES, IMPLEMENTATION OF TEMPORIZING CARE MEASURES, AND APPROPRIATE DECISION-MAKING IN BOTH THE STABLE AND UNSTABLE PATIENTS ARE CRUCIAL FOR POSITIVE PATIENT OUTCOMES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY AND EPIDEMIOLOGY OF PENETRATING GROIN INJURIES, SUMMARIZES CRITICAL STEPS IN THE CLINICAL AND IMAGING EVALUATION OF THE TRAUMATICALLY INJURED PATIENT, AND PRESENTS OPTIONS FOR DEFINITIVE AND DAMAGE-CONTROL MANAGEMENT BASED UPON PATIENT CLINICAL STATUS. THIS ACTIVITY ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF PRE-HOSPITAL CARE/TRANSPORT ON CLINICAL OUTCOMES AND PRESENTS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERPROFESSIONAL INTERVENTION TO DECREASE RATES OF INJURY FROM FIREARMS.