utility of sonography for blunt abdominal trauma patients

ABSTRACT

An optimal screening procedure for blunt abdominal trauma should be fast, accurate, portable, and easy to perform. Many believe that ultrasonography [US] meets these requirements. To evaluate the use of abdominal US for detection of organ injury in patients with blunt abdominal trauma, and/or surgical follow-up as the standard of diagnosis. This prospective study was conducted from Jan 2007 to December 2007, at Alwahda Hospital, Derna-Libya. It included 56 patients [45 males and 11 females] with age ranging from 13 to 87 years; all were admitted for suspicion of blunt abdominal trauma. Patients were assessed clinically and followed within 30 min after admission by an abdominal sonography examination. Rigid abdomen was seen in 29 cases [51.8%], stap wound and pneumothorax in 9 [16.1%], tender abdomen in 8 [14.3%], polytraumatic in 7 [12.5%], abdominal blood collection in 1 [1.8%], gun shot in 1[1.8%] and blunt trauma in 1 [1.8%]. US showed that hem. perineum was seen in 26 cases [46.4%], multiple tear in 16 [28.6%], small tear in 10 [17.9%], laceration in 2 [3.6%], rupture spleen in 1 [1.8%] and not shown in 1 [1.8%]. As regard the outcome, 35 [62.5%] were discharged, 13 [23.2%] were complicated, and 8 [14.3%] were died. US is becoming the screening modality of choice in blunt abdominal trauma. US can help determine the need for surgical intervention within minutes of a patient's arrival. The rapidity, noninvasiveness, and portability of US are responsible for its increasing popularity