Diagnostic laparoscopy as an adjunct to selective conservative management of solid organ injuries after blunt abdominal trauma.

To investigate the efficacy of diagnostic laparoscopy (DL) as an adjunct in patient selection for conservative management of solid organ injuries (SOI) following blunt abdominal trauma, 15 patients with injuries documented by computed tomographic (CT) scanning were prospectively evaluated. Diagnostic laparoscopy was performed in an attempt to characterize SOI, to evaluate the abdomen for associated occult injuries, and to select patients for conservative management or laparotomy. The 15 patients had CT evidence of 17 SOIs (nine spleen, eight liver), and DL allowed adequate visualization of 15 of the 17 injuries. Occult hollow viscus injury was discovered in 2 of 15 patients (one colon, one small bowel) and required laparotomy. In the remaining 13 patients, DL revealed ongoing hemorrhage in four patients and poor visualization in one patient that prompted laparotomy (four splenorrhaphy, one hepatorrhaphy). Conservative management was employed in the treatment of eight patients with findings of minor injury or adequate hemostasis on DL. The average transfusion requirement in this group was 1.8 U. No patient failed conservative management. There were no complications attributable to DL. These data demonstrate that DL may become an effective adjunct in patient selection for conservative management of SOI following blunt abdominal trauma.