Which organ would MOST likely bleed profusely when injured?

Which organ would MOST likely bleed profusely when injured?

• A. Intestine
• B. Liver
• C. Bladder
• D. Stomach

Answer: (B)

Bleeding severity after injury is driven by how vascular the organ is. The liver has an exceptionally rich blood supply, with blood flowing in from both the hepatic artery and the portal vein and a large, highly vascular parenchyma full of sinusoids. When the liver is damaged, these numerous vessels can rupture and release blood rapidly, leading to profuse hemorrhage. The other organs listed are not as highly vascular overall—the bladder has relatively limited bleeding potential, and while the stomach and intestines do have blood supply, their hemorrhage tends to be less dramatic than that seen with liver injuries. So the liver is most prone to profuse bleeding when injured.

Bleeding severity after injury is driven by how vascular the organ is. The liver has an exceptionally rich blood supply, with blood flowing in from both the hepatic artery and the portal vein and a large, highly vascular parenchyma full of sinusoids. When the liver is damaged, these numerous vessels can rupture and release blood rapidly, leading to profuse hemorrhage. The other organs listed are not as highly vascular overall—the bladder has relatively limited bleeding potential, and while the stomach and intestines do have blood supply, their hemorrhage tends to be less dramatic than that seen with liver injuries. So the liver is most prone to profuse bleeding when injured.