title: Changes in the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic splenic rupture: a retrospective analysis of 99 consecutive cases.
abstract: From January 1986 to January 1995, 99 consecutive cases with a ruptured spleen were analysed retrospectively. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage was replaced by abdominal ultrasound as a routine screening investigation in blunt abdominal trauma after 1991. An abdominal computed tomography scan carried out in stable circulatory conditions provided additional information in 80% of the cases. The choice of treatment was related to the extent of the splenic damage and associated injuries. Even in degree IV ruptures splenorrhaphy was carried out successfully in 38% (five out of 12). The Hospital Trauma Index-Injury Severity Score (HTI-ISS) was significantly lower (17.7; n = 43) in conservative treatment than in cases treated by splenorrhaphy (27.6; n = 25) or splenectomy (33.6; n = 31). Conservative treatment (n = 43) resulted in a secondary intervention in 19%, whereas primary splenorrhaphy (n = 25) failed once (4%). Clinical morbidity was 26%, with no significant differences between conservative treatment, splenorrhaphy and splenectomy. Early mortality (0-30 days post-trauma) reached 14%, and was related to extensive injuries in all cases. The mean HTI-ISS in patients with a fatal outcome was 50.5. Overall, 62% of the injured spleens were saved, with the rate of splenic preservation improving throughout the study period. A conservative policy was increasingly treatment of first choice in patients with stable circulatory parameters with major concomitant injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Traumatology, Leiden University Hospital, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Van Etten
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: van Popta
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Van Luyt
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Bode
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Van Vugt
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000293:injuries*; D013156:Splenectomy; D013161:Splenic Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy