Late Presentation of Peritonitis Post Jejunal Perforation Due to Flank Stab Wound

• Published in: Curēus (Palo Alto, CA) Vol. 14; no. 11; p. e31351
• Main Authors: Al Saeed, Fatima H, AlShawaf, Sarah H, Al Dhneem, Hassan N, AlZahid, Abdullah A, Alfaraj, Dunya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Cureus Inc 10-11-2022; Cureus
• Subjects: Abdomen; Blood; Case reports; Emergency Medicine; Hemodynamics; Injuries; Laparoscopy; Laparotomy; Medical imaging; Mortality; Patients; Peritonitis; Small intestine; Stabbings; Trauma; Vital signs; Vomiting; stab wound; abdominal trauma; hemodynamic instability; peritonitis; jejunal perforation; bowel repair; penetrating trauma
• ISSN: 2168-8184; 2168-8184
• DOI: 10.7759/cureus.31351

Abdominal trauma injuries are caused by many mechanisms including blunt and penetrating trauma injuries. Penetrating injuries are far more common than blunt injuries. Subsequently, the most affected organ during such injuries is small intestine perforations. As far as we know, there were no cases reported before about jejunal injury due to penetrating trauma. We present a case of a 20-year-old male with a stab wound injury who was initially stable in the emergency department (ED). After a set of investigations were done, the patient was discharged home. Yet, the patient presented again with late signs of peritonitis. Imaging was done and showed pneumoperitoneum. Thereafter, the patient was rushed to the operation room (OR) where the jejunal repair was performed. ED physicians must be vigilant regarding any signs of deterioration in penetrating trauma patients and should provide clear instructions to patients regarding any symptoms of the acute abdomen before any discharge.