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Managing Abdomino-Pelvic Trauma: Operative Strategies and Damage Control for the FRCS

17th February 2026, 19:00 to 20:00 GMT

Overview

This webinar will provide a practical, trainee-focused overview of abdomino-pelvic trauma management, aimed at surgical residents progressing from early registrar level through to FRCS. Using real-world cases and operative insights from global trauma settings, the session will focus on the assessment and management of abdomino-pelvic soft tissue injuries. Key trauma manoeuvres for surgical access (including Mattox and Cattell–Braasch) will be covered alongside the core principles of damage control resuscitation and laparotomy, equipping trainees with essential knowledge for both on-call practice and examination success.

Aims

  • Understand the core principles of abdomino-pelvic trauma management relevant to surgical trainees.
  • Recognise and prioritise abdomino-pelvic soft tissue injuries in the context of major trauma, including indications for operative intervention.
  • Apply key trauma manoeuvres for surgical access, including Mattox and Cattell–Braasch manoeuvres, with an understanding of when and why they are used.
  • Describe the principles and decision-making for damage control resuscitation and damage control laparotomy, including physiological triggers and operative endpoints.
  • Integrate real-world case examples from global trauma settings to contextualise learning points and enhance operative decision-making in high-pressure scenarios.
  • Prepare effectively for trauma-related components of the FRCS examination, linking practical management to examination-relevant concepts and language.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this webinar, attendees should be able to:

  • Outline the principles of abdomino-pelvic trauma assessment and management relevant to surgical trainees.
  • Identify common abdomino-pelvic soft tissue injuries and determine appropriate indications for operative intervention.
  • Describe and apply key trauma manoeuvres for surgical access, with an understanding of their anatomical basis and clinical indications.
  • Explain the core principles of damage control resuscitation, including physiological endpoints and haemostatic strategies.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of damage control laparotomy, including decision-making, operative priorities, and criteria for termination of the initial operation.
  • Relate trauma management principles to FRCS examination requirements, using appropriate terminology and structured approaches.

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Panellists

Our panellists include:

  • Mr Ben Griffiths - Ben Griffiths is a Consultant Colorectal Surgeon at Manchester Royal Infirmary and previous Director of Education and Training for the ASGBI. He has a strong interest in emergency general surgery, surgical education, and trainee development, and is actively involved in research and national training initiatives. He regularly teaches on FRCS-relevant topics and delivers educational courses for surgical trainees across the UK.

  • Mr Ammar Darwish - Ammar Darwish is a General and Major Trauma Surgeon at Manchester Royal Infirmary and serves as Medical Director and Global Faculty Lead of the David Nott Foundation, a charity focused on training surgeons for work in conflict and austere environments. He has extensive humanitarian surgical experience, having been deployed on over 45 global missions to conflict zones including Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Ukraine, and Gaza, and has contributed to trauma education and training both in the UK and internationally.

  • Miss Rute Castelhano - Rute Castelhano is a General Surgery Registrar in the North West Deanery with a keen interest in trauma and surgical education. She is actively involved in research, particularly in Conflict Resolution in Surgery, and serves as Secretary at The Moynihan Academy, ASGBI.

  • Miss Eleanor Smith - Eleanor Smith is a General Surgery Registrar in the South London Deanery with a specialist interest in trauma surgery. She is currently undertaking a PhD in Trauma Coagulopathy at Queen Mary University London, focusing on improving understanding and management of trauma-related bleeding.

CPD

1 Hour

To be eligible to receive CPD hours for webinar attendance you must connect for the full duration of the webinar AND complete the feedback survey.

Visit our FAQ for further information relating to webinar CPD.

Recording

A recording of the webinar will be made available on this page in the days following the live broadcast.

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