Step 1: Recall the AAST Colon Injury Scale.
The AAST organ injury scaling for the colon grades injury by extent of wall involvement and devascularisation:
• Grade I: Contusion/haematoma without devascularisation, or partial-thickness laceration.
• Grade II: Laceration involving <50% of the circumference.
• Grade III: Laceration involving >50% of the circumference (without transection).
• Grade IV: Transection of the colon.
• Grade V: Transection with segmental tissue loss / devascularised segment.
Step 2: Apply to the stem.
The injury described is >50% circumferential laceration without full transection, which maps exactly to Grade III.
Step 3: Eliminate others.
Grade II is <50% circumference, Grade IV is complete transection, and Grade I is contusion/partial-thickness. Hence the answer is Grade III.
Key fact: >50% circumferential colon laceration = AAST Grade III.