A review of non-operative treatment of splenic trauma

ABSTRACT

From January 1984 to June 1992; a period of 8.5 years; 60 patients with splenic trauma were treated in Lacor Hospital. The spleen trauma was managed conseratively in 47(78) of the patients. OF these; 36 patients(60) were not operated upon. Eleven (18) were operated upon but nine (15) patients had exploratory laporatomy only without sleen manipulation and in two splenic repair was performed. Thirteen (22) patients had splenectomy. In the non-operative group; reccurrent or rebleeding was detected in one patient and delayed bleeding occurred in five patients (8). Overall mortality rate was five (8); two (3) occurring in splenic salvage and three (5) in splenoctomized patients. It is concluded that with availability of facilities and personnel; in selected cases of blunt splenic trauma; splenic conservation is safe but requires close monitoring