Diagnostic peritoneal lavage: it's red but is it positive?
The aim of this study was to ascertain whether qualitative assessment could accurately determine a concentration of 100,000 RBC/mm3 in simulated peritoneal lavage fluid. The results show that the qualitative methods used are inaccurate and do not reliably predict a red cell concentration of 100,000 per mm3. We therefore recommend that the red cell concentration of peritoneal lavage fluid is always measured before the result is considered 'positive'.
Driscoll
P
P
University Department of Accident and Emergency Medicine, Hope Hospital, Salford, UK.
Hodgkinson
D
D
Mackway-Jones
K
K
D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004906:Erythrocyte Count; D006801:Humans; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000166:cytology*; D010533:Peritoneal Lavage; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis