A typical adult casualty can hemorrhage how much blood and IV fluid into the abdomen?

• A. 2 liters
• B. 5 liters
• C. 10 liters
• D. 15 liters

Answer: (C)

The amount the abdomen can hold is surprisingly large, so internal bleeding into the peritoneal cavity can reach substantial volumes before external signs become dramatic. A typical adult has about 5 liters of blood in the body, and the peritoneal space can accommodate roughly twice that amount, around 10 liters, of blood and IV fluids before the abdomen becomes markedly distended. This means a casualty with intra-abdominal hemorrhage can lose a large total volume into the abdomen while still appearing relatively compensated for a time, which is why abdominal bleeding demands a high index of suspicion and prompt resuscitation.

The option describing about ten liters best matches this capacity. Smaller amounts like 2 or 5 liters underestimate how much can accumulate, and fifteen liters would be unusually large for most real cases.