Liver packing for uncontrolled hepatic haemorrhage after trauma.
We report the case of a 38-year-old male victim of a motorcycle accident who presented to the emergency department with a blood pressure of 90 mmHg/palpable and a haemoglobin of 6 gm dl-1. An exploratory laparotomy revealed a large liver laceration and profound haemorrhage. Liver packing was employed to prevent patient mortality in the face of an exsanguinating haemorrhage and multiple transfusions. The patient made an uneventful postoperative recovery. This case reinforces the indications, potential complications, and importance of liver packing in this type of grave clinical picture.
Erdek
M A
MA
Geisinger Medical Center, Danville, PA 17822-2111, USA.
Brotman
S
S
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D050723:Fractures, Bone; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006489:Hemostatic Techniques; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*