Characteristic features of abdominal organ injuries associated with gastric rupture in blunt abdominal trauma
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Gastric Point of Care Ultrasound in Adults: Image Acquisition and Interpretation
Published on: September 22, 2023
Hiroki Shinkawa1, Hiroshi Yasuhara, Shuji Naka
1Department of Surgery, Teikyo University Ichihara Hospital, 3426-3 Anesaki, Ichihara City, Chiba 299-0111, Japan. akkun@med.teikyo-u.ac.jp
Background:
Previous studies have investigated the mechanisms of gastric rupture based only on the findings in gastric rupture and excluding gastric lacerations.
Methods:
We investigated 14 cases of gastric injury (five with rupture and nine with laceration) from blunt abdominal trauma with or without thoracic trauma. Gastric injuries were caused by a traffic accident in 12 and by a fall in two patients. All of the patients with gastric rupture had had a full stomach at the time of impact.
Results:
The patients had associated injuries of adjacent solid organs, the thoracic cage, and extremities. The frequency of injury of the hepatoduodenal or gastrohepatic ligament was higher in patients with gastric laceration than in patients with gastric rupture. Eight of nine patients with a gastric laceration had hepatic or pancreatic injury, whereas none of the patients with gastric rupture had such injury.
Conclusions:
The results of our study showed that the distended stomach tends to rupture by absorbing the impact from blunt abdominal trauma (i.e., it works like an airbag to protecting adjacent organs such as the liver and pancreas).
Related Concept Videos
Esophageal Perforation-I: Introduction
The location of esophageal perforation can vary, occurring anywhere along the esophagus.
Intestinal Obstruction II: Pathophysiology
Esophageal Perforation-II: Clinical Manifestations and Management
Clinical Manifestations:
Appendicitis-I: Introduction
Etiology: Appendicitis can arise from various causes, primarily rooted in the obstruction of the appendix lumen. Factors contributing to this obstruction include fecal accumulation, lymphoid hyperplasia and, in...
Peptic Ulcer Disease III: Clinical Manifestations and Complications
Peptic Ulcer