title: Pediatric splenic trauma: predicting the success of nonoperative therapy.
abstract: The charts of all pediatric patients discharged from the Massachusetts General Hospital with a diagnosis of a ruptured spleen were reviewed over a six-year period to determine if any factors could be used to predict which children could be managed safely without operation. Seventy-five percent of these injuries were so managed. The patients who required surgical intervention were older (mean age, 17 years), had multiple injuries (mean ISS, 41), presented with more blood loss (mean hematocrit, 23.5%), and suffered their injuries as a result of a motor vehicle accident. The patients who were successfully managed nonoperatively were younger (mean age, 12 years), had fewer associated injuries (mean ISS, 18), required fewer blood transfusions, and suffered their traumas secondary to falls, sporting events, or altercations. We propose that the injury severity score, the number of units of blood transfused, patient age, as well as the type of trauma suffered be used to predict which patients can be safely managed nonoperatively.
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000628:therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013154:Spleen / Q000293:injuries*; D013161:Splenic Rupture / Q000628:therapy*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000628:therapy*