Traumatic Abdominal Compartment Syndrome
Traumatic Abdominal Compartment Syndrome. If people are involved in a car accident, the injuries that they might sustain can range widely in their severity. Some of these injuries manifest sooner rather than later. A relatively rare entity, called Abdominal Compartment Syndrome, might not appear immediately after an accident.
When people suffer trauma in an auto accident, their internal organs are at risk of injury. According to statistics from the Journal of Emergencies, the number of abdominal organs injured can vary widely with trauma. Based on one of their research studies:
- About three-quarters of their patients had one organ damaged, such as the spleen.
- About 20 percent of their patients had two organs injured.
- The remaining five percent had three or more organs injured in abdominal trauma.
There is a good chance that someone could have more than one organ injured in a traumatic accident. One of the causes of this is termed abdominal compartment syndrome.
An Overview of Traumatic Abdominal Compartment Syndrome
A research study was published describing what might happen when someone suffers a car accident with abdominal trauma. Even though most people wear their seatbelt in a car, their abdomen can still be damaged. Sometimes, this trauma can lead to a dramatic increase in the blood pressure of the vessels supplying the abdominal organs. This increase in blood pressure is called hypertension. Along with trauma, other causes of this pressure include:
- Infection, including sepsis
- Pre-existing hypertension
- Diabetes
- Heart failure
As this pressure starts to increase, it can collapse the internal organs. This chokes off the organs’ supply of oxygen and tissue. As this collapse continues, it will eventually cause a failure of both the pulmonary and circulatory system. The treatment of this compartment syndrome is emergent surgery. Without this surgery, according to studies in Intensive Care Medicine, the mortality rate of this syndrome is very high.
Assistance with Cases of Abdominal Injury
Traumatic Abdominal Compartment Syndrome is only one example of a severe injury that somebody could sustain in a car accident. An individual can have more than one injury, such as bone fractures or blood vessel injuries, as well. If someone has multiple injuries, they could be in a hospital for a long time. Families could be uncertain how they are going to pay for their hospital stay. They might like to review the records from their hospital stay and from the accident. They could be wondering if there are other details of the crash that could have been overlooked. If this is the case, an experienced attorney can provide valuable assistance. A lawyer can help with:
- Paperwork: There are mountains of paperwork following a severe accident that could be overwhelming.
- Insurance: Should a health insurance company refuse to pay for a hospital visit, an attorney can negotiate on your behalf.
- Court: If there are other details involved in an accident, going to court may not be optional. A lawyer can represent you in this situation.
These are serious situations that mandate the attention of a legal professional. Don’t hesitate to ask for help when it is needed most.
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Personal Injury Lawyers in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento. Abdominal trauma can cause severe consequences. If you or a family member has suffered abdominal injuries in a car accident, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. I would be happy to offer friendly, free advice.
I am happy to be a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
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Image Attribution: The image at the beginning of this page was seen first on Unsplash. The picture has been printed here with permission
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