Routine iv antibiotic administration is not recommended in major trauma however is indicated in patients with penetrating abdominal injury requiring surgical management reassess the importance of frequent reassessment cannot be overemphasised serial abdominal examinations should be performed at regular intervals as deterioration in a patients clinical condition can be swift this will be evident in their vital signs and level of consciousness. Surgical management of abdominal trauma hollow viscus injury surg clin north am 2017 oct9751107 1117 doi 101016 jsuc201706004 authors jamie j coleman 1 ben l zarzaur 2 affiliations 1 department of surgery indiana university school . Abdominal trauma accounts for 22 of body regions injured in major trauma and can be difficult to diagnose and manage 2 a high index of suspicion should be maintained for any multi trauma patient particularly where the mechanism of injury may suggest significant abdominal injury. Approximately 15 per cent of all trauma patients suffer abdominal injuries and of these over 25 per cent require exploratory surgery it has been shown that the majority of preventable deaths from