How long would you live if shot in the stomach?
Question:
A teen is shot in the stomach during a drive by shooting. He can't get medical help. How long would he have to live until he bled to death? I repeat, he CAN NOT get any medical help.
Answers:
Hi there,
In the medical world, a person would live, IF the bullet ONLY penetrated the abdomen, thru to the stomach, a possible 15 minutes. It is a horrible death- as we all know that our stomach is filled with hydrochloric acid. As the blood begins to intermix with the stomach acid, this causes fatal toxemia and extreme blood loss in the individual.
I would bet that if no one received medical attention, and a bullet penetrated stomach with substantial force, that the individual would die of blodd loss, within fifteen minutes of penetration.
My guess is just that- a guess. In healthcare, it is hard to determine when someone would die of an injury of this nature- as it is an easy (easier said than done!) operation and people do not usually die from this wound (because they seek medical attention).
Hope this helps, and good luck to you in the future!
Kelly McBride, RDMS
It all depends on if any arteries were hit or if any major organs were damaged. If the bullet only made a flesh wound he could live until he died from old age. Then there is the physical shock that sets in so depending on the teens health and stamina he could die faster or slower. More details are needed for a better answer.
Severing a major artery can cause you to bleed to death in less than an hour.
If the victim applies pressure to the wound(s) from the gunshot that may stop external bleeding and he may survive for many hours before other complications develop from internal blood loss.
You mean there's a teenager by himself (no friends with him) who doesn't have a cellphone and isn't near a store or some other place where there are people to see him, and he's the victim of a drive-by shooting and is wounded in the stomach? And there aren't any other cars driving up and down the street who might call 911? And he can't get any help at all, not even pizza delivery? How long would he live?
I'd guess a couple of minutes.
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