A 38-year-old north Indian man was brought to the emergency department of our hospital after suffering a head-on collision while driving his car. On examination, he was conscious, oriented, and, in severe pain. His vital signs were normal, except for tachycardia. There were no signs of head, chest, pelvic, or limb injury. A visible swelling was present in the umbilical and epigastric regions with overlying bruising of the skin (Figure ). On palpation, it was tender, firm, non-pulsatile, and non-reducible, but there was a slight increase in size over the next hour. The patient was triaged as a blunt trauma abdomen - a probable steering wheel injury, hemodynamically stable, with probable rectus hematoma. Expectant treatment was started and a computed tomography (CT) scan was performed. The CT scan (Figure ) revealed a supra-umbilical defect in the midline anterior abdominal wall (maximum diameter 5 cm), with herniation of bowel loops and mesentery through it, with extensive interstitial edema. There was also associated free fluid in the peritoneal cavity, and a minor splenic laceration. Anticipating strangulation of the bowel, the abdomen was explored through a midline incision. There were 2-3 loops of edematous jejunum and mesentery in the subcutaneous space, herniating from a full-thickness defect in the abdominal wall. There was also a mesenteric hematoma with loss of vitality of the corresponding jejunal segment (one foot). A resection-anastomosis was performed. No other solid organ injuries were seen. The defect was repaired with an interrupted monofilament polypropylene suture without tension. The patient's wound healed without complications and was discharged on the 6th day. He was asymptomatic, 1 month after the operation.
A 60-year-old female presented with obstipation and vomiting following blunt trauma abdomen in the emergency department 2 days back. Patient had fallen from a bullock cart and had sustained blunt trauma abdomen. There was history of obstipation and vomiting. Vitals were stable. She was obese, and abdomen was moderately distended. There was bruising over the skin in right iliac fossa. Abdominal examination revealed a tender reducible mass of 15 × 20 cm2 size in the right iliac fossa. Routine blood investigations were within normal limits. CECT abdomen showed a defect in the anterior abdominal wall above the right iliac crest with herniation of ascending colon and small gut along with avulsed muscle seen in right lumbar region and stranding of subcutaneous fat [Figure and ] There was minimal fluid in the pelvis.\nExploratory laparotomy was performed through an incision over the swelling and findings were a 15-cm wide gap in the aponeurotic part of the external oblique muscle, with small bowel loops along with caecum and ascending colon herniating into the defect. After reduction of herniated contents, abdominal wall defect was repaired primarily with reinforcement by onlay prolene mesh. Patient was discharged in satisfactory condition. On follow-up after 8 months, patient is doing well and asymptomatic.