RESUMO
Audit of 73 consecutive patients with penetrating abdominal trauma managed from June 94 to June 95 is presented. Victims were predominantly young males. Age ranged from 14-85 years. Mode of injury was firearm in 58 cases [79.4%] and stab in 15 [20.5%], twenty six [35.6%] cases had associated extra-abdominal injuries. In this series 70 cases underwent exploratory laparotomy, of which 63 [90%] were therapeutic and in 7 cases [10%] non- therapeutic. Twenty seven [37%] patients had postoperative complications and 15 [20%] patients expired during this study period, including 3 [4%] intraoperative deaths. Suggestions to reduce such a high rate of morbidity and mortality include, a strict control on firearms, enforcement of ban on their display and development of fully equipped regional centers for managements of such patients