# A Woman with Abdominal Pain After Lap-belt Trauma

## TL;DR

A 24-year-old woman developed a rare abdominal hernia after a car crash, highlighting the importance of considering this injury in trauma cases.

## Contribution

Highlights traumatic abdominal wall hernia as a rare but important complication of motor vehicle collisions.

## Key findings

- Computed tomography revealed a traumatic abdominal wall hernia with complete bowel herniation.
- Traumatic abdominal wall hernias are rare but can occur after motor vehicle collisions.
- Abdominal pain after blunt trauma should prompt consideration of this diagnosis.

## Abstract

A 24-year-old female presented to the emergency department with diffuse abdominal pain after involvement as a restrained driver in a motor vehicle collision (MVC). Computed tomography of the abdomen revealed a traumatic abdominal wall hernia due to rectus wall rupture with complete bowel herniation.

A traumatic abdominal wall hernia is a rare complication of blunt abdominal trauma that is typically associated with injury from a motorcycle handlebar but is more commonly seen after a MVC. It is important to consider this diagnosis when evaluating patients with abdominal pain after blunt abdominal trauma from either of these mechanisms.