Complete Transection of the Abdominal Wall Secondary to Being a Rear Seat-Belted Passenger

Abstract

Garrett and Braunstein introduced the concept of the “seat belt sign” in motor vehicle collision (MVC) victims. They defined this as abdominal wall bruising from a lap belt. These signs of trauma are not uncommon. However, “seat belt syndrome,” a pattern of musculoskeletal and internal organ injuries resulting from deceleration forces exerted by the safety device is rarely seen. Here, we illustrate a case of traumatic closed rupture of the rectus abdominis muscle secondary to seat belt injury. This potential injury is important to recognize and our case will illustrate the need for careful imaging review and clinical assessment to identify associated intra-abdominal injuries.