Penetrating abdominal trauma.

Penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT) is seen daily in our trauma ward. We present a retrospective study of the patients managed in our hospital (Polokwane Hospital, Limpopo) from January 1999 to March 2000. Epidemiology, mechanism of injury, patterns of injury, management, morbidity and overall mortality were recorded for analysis. Morbidity and mortality were commonly associated with peritonitis and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.