Nonoperative Management of Blunt Abdominal Trauma with Hemoperitoneum

ABSTRACT

Because of the two merits of nonoperative management of blunt abdominal trauma, 1) avoidance of operative morbidity and 2) better treatment of associated injuries, the use of nonoperative management has been extended, but the indications for such treatment have not been sufficiently found. One hundred two(102) cases admitted due to hemoperitoneum, 44 involving surgery and 58 conservative managment, were analyzed for age, sex, cause of injury, injured organ, injury grade, transfusion amount, and shock on admission. The major causes of injury in the nonoperative and the operative groups are as follows 23 cases of auto-pedestrian accidents and 15 cases of in-car accidents in the nonoperative group and 19 cases of auto-pedestrian accidents in the operative group. In terms of the injured organ, liver trauma was the most frequent, and spleen trauma was next. The difference in the transfusion amount between the two groups was statistically significant; 8.1 units in the nonoperative group and 13 units in the operative group. In conclusion, 1) nonoperative management can be considered as a first choice in children with blunt abdominal trauma and stable vital signs; 2) patients with hemodynamically stable liver injury with AAST OIS grade 4 and isolated splenic injury AAST OIS grade 4 are candidates for nonoperative management; and 3) nonoperative management through emergency care without transfusion can be considered in cases with stable vital signs.