[Surgical expertise in the management of abdominal injuries from the perspective of general and GI surgery. Reality of care at a level-1 trauma centre].

The new Polytrauma Guidelines represent an improvement in the interdisciplinary treatment of trauma patients. Due to the potentially vital hazard of abdominal trauma a general or GI surgeon must be a member of the initial emergency room team. Abdominal injuries which necessitate emergency laparotomy must be recognized. In addition, conservative management of blunt abdominal trauma requires special expertise, which is no longer acquired outside general and GI surgery in Germany. With respect to thoracic trauma at least one surgeon in the primary emergency room team must be able to insert a thoracic drain. If control of the injury is not achieved straight away, a thoracic surgeon must join in.