Current status regarding selective non-operative management of abdominal gunshot wounds / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Laparotomy should be routinely performed in the cases of abdominal gunshot wounds. However, recent studies found that 20%-30% abdominal gunshot wounds were non therapeutic or negective, and some complications secondary to laparotomy, such as local infection, often developed. Selective non-operative management (SNOM) can reduce the incidence of operative complications, length of hospitalization, and medical cost, thus has been recommended for the patients with abdominal blunt and stabbing wounds. However, it remains obscure whether SNOM is suitable for patients with abdominal gunshot wounds and which patients should be suitable for SNOM. This paper aims to review the important findings from questionnaire survey, clinical practice studies, and large-scale systematic reviews, and then propose how to identify the candidates for SNOM, hoping to be helpful for improving our management strategy of abdominal gunshot wounds.