Evan Jost1, Derek J Roberts1, Todd Penney2, Grant Brunet2, Chad G Ball3, Andrew W Kirkpatrick4. 1. Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. 2. Department of Radiology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. 3. Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Regional Trauma Services Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. 4. Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada; The Regional Trauma Services Foothills Medical Centre, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. Electronic address: Andrew.kirkpatrick@albertahealthservices.ca.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: We sought to define the accuracy of findings for detecting hollow viscus injury (HVI) in patients with blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) and unexplained intra-peritoneal free fluid without solid organ injury (UIPFFWSOI). METHODS: We screened all consecutive hemodynamically stable patients presenting to a quaternary-care trauma-centre who had an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan for BAT and UIPFFWSOI (January 2007-December 2014). RESULTS: Of 3796 patients identified during the study period, 39 presented with UIPFFWSOI. Fifteen underwent therapeutic laparotomy. Seatbelt sign (+LR approaches infinity), diffuse peritonitis (+LR approaches infinity), number of CT cuts with fluid (c-statistic = 0.65), and a lower arterial pH at presentation (c-statistic = 0.62) were most predictive of HVI. Patients operated on within 24 h had shorter stays than those operated on later (median 9 vs. 14 days, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that clinical examination and measurements of intraperitoneal fluid volume may help identify HVIs in BAT patients.
BACKGROUND: We sought to define the accuracy of findings for detecting hollow viscus injury (HVI) in patients with blunt abdominal trauma (BAT) and unexplained intra-peritoneal free fluid without solid organ injury (UIPFFWSOI). METHODS: We screened all consecutive hemodynamically stable patients presenting to a quaternary-care trauma-centre who had an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan for BAT and UIPFFWSOI (January 2007-December 2014). RESULTS: Of 3796 patients identified during the study period, 39 presented with UIPFFWSOI. Fifteen underwent therapeutic laparotomy. Seatbelt sign (+LR approaches infinity), diffuse peritonitis (+LR approaches infinity), number of CT cuts with fluid (c-statistic = 0.65), and a lower arterial pH at presentation (c-statistic = 0.62) were most predictive of HVI. Patients operated on within 24 h had shorter stays than those operated on later (median 9 vs. 14 days, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that clinical examination and measurements of intraperitoneal fluid volume may help identify HVIs in BAT patients.
Authors: Luke Smyth; Cino Bendinelli; Nicholas Lee; Matthew G Reeds; Eu Jhin Loh; Francesco Amico; Zsolt J Balogh; Salomone Di Saverio; Dieter Weber; Richard Peter Ten Broek; Fikri M Abu-Zidan; Giampiero Campanelli; Solomon Gurmu Beka; Massimo Chiarugi; Vishal G Shelat; Edward Tan; Ernest Moore; Luigi Bonavina; Rifat Latifi; Andreas Hecker; Jim Khan; Raul Coimbra; Giovanni D Tebala; Kjetil Søreide; Imtiaz Wani; Kenji Inaba; Andrew W Kirkpatrick; Kaoru Koike; Gabriele Sganga; Walter L Biffl; Osvaldo Chiara; Thomas M Scalea; Gustavo P Fraga; Andrew B Peitzman; Fausto Catena Journal: World J Emerg Surg Date: 2022-03-04 Impact factor: 5.469