title: Abdominal lavage in blunt trauma.
abstract: A technique for abdominal lavage is described and was used to evaluate the abdomen of 671 multiple trauma victims. In 44 per cent (299 cases) there was a bloodstained return and these were regarded as positive. Patients with a positive result underwent exploratory laparotomy which revealed that 89 per cent had significant intra-abdominal trauma requiring a surgical procedure, 8 per cent had trauma which did not require any active surgical correction and 3 per cent had no abdnormal findings. Of all the lavages performed, there were 0-11 per cent false positive and 0-03 per cent false negative results. The value of the test in the context of multiple trauma is emphasized.
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D002404:Catheterization; D002648:Child; D003581:Cytodiagnosis; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000293:injuries; D007813:Laparotomy; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries; D013154:Spleen / Q000293:injuries