Emergency Medicine Case of the Week
Case #1 -- Abdominal Trauma
Learning Objectives
After reviewing this case, you will be able to: |
- Describe the most important organ system in trauma
- Explain the pros and cons of using serum creatinine versus urea nitrogen in the
diagnosis of urological trauma
- Describe the emergency treatment of urological trauma
|
Patient Profile: "Oreo", a 3-year old, castrated male,
domestic long-hair cat.
History: "Oreo" was admitted to the Veterinary Teaching
Hospital of Colorado State University with a history of being hit by a car.
Physical Examination: "Oreo" has severe bruising on the
ventral abdomen. Auscultation of the thorax reveals an absence of lung sounds on
both sides and "Oreo's" heart rate is increased. The pulses feel strong
but "Oreo" has severe caudal abdominal pain upon palpation.
Click on the image to see an enlargement
Questions:
- Describe the most important organ system to assess in "Oreo".
- Explain whether you would request thoracic radiographs prior to any treatment.
- Explain why you would perform abdominal radiographs before abdominocentesis.
- Explain whether you would request a urea nitrogen or creatinine on the abdominal fluid
obtained via abdominocentesis.
- Describe how you would manage "Oreo's" uroabdomen before taking him to
surgery.
Answers and Discussion:
Return to Introduction:
Copyright Wayne E. Wingfield, Colorado State University, 1998. All rights
reserved.
This page was last updated: 09/09/98