b. Internal Bleeding. Internal bleeding into the digestive tract or abdominal
region may be indicated by the following signs.
(1)
Blood being coughed up (hemoptysis).
(2) Blood present in vomitus (hematemesis) or stools (hematochezia). (The
blood may be bright red or dark due to interaction with digestive juices.)
(3)
Rigid abdominal cavity (cavity filled with blood).
4-14. TREATING A CASUALTY WITH AN ACUTE ABDOMEN
Place the casualty on his back with his knees flexed (paragraph 4-4). Treat the
casualty for shock (Lesson 7). Maintain the casualty's airway and administer ventilations
as needed. If the casualty vomits, perform a finger sweep to remove vomitus from his
mouth. (If the vomitus is not removed, the casualty may inhale the vomitus and choke.)
Administer oxygen (high percentage) if available. Do not allow the casualty to eat or
drink anything. Do not administer any sedative or analgesic agent. If internal bleeding is
present, keep the casualty as still as possible, initiate an intravenous infusion, and
evacuate the casualty to a medical treatment facility immediately. Internal bleeding into a
cavity cannot be controlled by the medic in the field.
MD0554
4-8