Peritoneal lavage in closed abdominal injury.
Peritoneal lavage is a sensitive method of detecting intra-abdominal injuries following closed abdominal injury. Our indications for peritoneal lavage are: severe head injury, severe thoracic injury, unexplained hypotension in a patient with possible blunt abdominal injury and patients on artificial ventilation. We present 40 patients with multiple injuries who underwent peritoneal lavage for suspected closed abdominal injury. Twenty-two lavages were positive and 19 laparotomies were performed, of which 18 revealed intra-abdominal injuries. Eighteen lavages were negative; no laparotomy was performed in this group. There was one false positive, but no false negative lavage.
D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000150:complications; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis*