Use of Angioembolization to Replace Operative Management for Blunt Splenic Injury

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Over the past few decades, the treatment of traumatic splenic injuries has shifted to nonoperative management from surgical intervention. Although some nonoperative management failure have been reported, in most trauma centers, nonoperative management is now believed to be the treatment of choice in hemodynamically stable patients. Then, in this study, we have retrospectively evaluated our experience with traumatic splenic injury. METHODS: From January 2005 to July 2009, 150 patients with blunt splenic injuries were managed in our hospital. Patients' charts were retrospectively reviewed to analyze their treatment, the patients were grouped according to those who had been admitted before October 2006, defined as the "early group", and those who had been admitted after October 2006, defined as the "late group". After the patients had been divided into two group, physiologic parameters and differences between the treatments were compared. RESULTS: 150 patients were admitted to our hospital with blunt splenic trauma. In late group, both the surgical management rate and the nonoperative management failure rate were lower than they were in the early group. CONCLUSION: We expect angioembolization to effectively replace surgery for the treatment of selected patients with blunt splenic injury and to result in fewer complications.