title: Nonoperative management of blunt splenic trauma in adults.
abstract: The management of isolated blunt splenic trauma in adults is controversial. The authors present a series of 17 patients with blunt splenic trauma who were selected for nonoperative management. Only one patient eventually required surgery, for a ruptured spleen. Complications included pneumonia (two cases) and pleural effusion, atelectasis and ileus (one case each). There were no deaths. Five patients required transfusion, for a total of 17 units of blood. The mean length of hospital stay was 9.4 days. Comparison with a group of 17 patients treated operatively during the same period showed that those treated nonoperatively had fewer complications, required less blood and had a similar length of hospital stay. The authors conclude that nonoperative management of selected patients with isolated blunt splenic trauma is safe, if the patient's condition is closely monitored.
authors.affiliation: Saint John Regional Hospital, NB.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Stephen
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Stephen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013154:Spleen / Q000293:injuries*; D013156:Splenectomy; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*