A 32-year-old man underwent laparotomy for trauma because of multiorgan injuries. He was discharged after 2 weeks in the hospital only to be readmitted after 3 days because of abdominal pain and sepsis. The CT scan showed an accumulation of fluid in the subhepatic space. This space is likely to be directly involved following an injury to which of the following?
High-Yield Explanation
Subhepatic space infection usually occurs after surgery or peritonitis in the supracolic compartment. It is an unlikely complication of biliary pancreatitis. Infections in the subhepatic space may extend to the infracolic compartment via the paracolic gutter (of Morrison). This implies a perforation of the stomach.