Clinical Outcomes of Splenic Injury

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The management of splenic injuries has shifted from a splenectomy to splenic preservation owing to immunity. The purpose of this study was to assess the kinds of management and outcomes through a review of our experience with splenic injuries. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 47 patients with traumatic splenic injuries using by electronic medical records from Jan. 2007 and Dec. 2011. Splenic injuries were classified according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) grading system. RESULTS: There were 11 falls, 11 traffic accidents, 10 motorcylcle accidents, 10 pedestrian accidents and 5 abdominal blunt traumas. Low-grade injured patients ( or =Grade IV) were 18 of 43(38.3%). In 34 patients, non-surgical treatment was performed, and 14 patients underwent a splenectomy. There were relatively more high-grade in older patients, and the highgrade-injury group showed need for a transfusion (p=0.002), more need for a splenectomy (p<0.001), a longer mean hospital stay (p=0.036), a longer ICU stay (p=0.045) and more combined organ injury (p=0.036). CONCLUSION: Conservative treatment should be considered in low-grade-injury patients (< or =Grade III). A Splenectomy was performed on 56% of the patients with Grade IV injuries, so a splenectomy should be considered carefully in such patients. In patients with a grade V injury, we think surgical treatment may be needed.