title: Isolated blunt splenic injury: do we transfuse more in an attempt to operate less?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if blood transfusion requirements in patients with isolated blunt splenic injury (BSI) are greater if they are managed nonoperatively, we did a retrospective case study of patients with isolated BSI who were seen at a Canadian university teaching hospital over a 10-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data such as number of units of packed erythrocytes transfused and mortality in the 75 patients with isolated BSI seen from 1992 to 2002 were separated into operative and nonoperative management groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the operative management group (n = 10), patients received more transfused erythrocytes (3.0 v. 0.7 units), and a higher proportion of patients were transfused (80% v. 20%). There were no deaths in either group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the management of isolated BSI, initial nonoperative management does not increase patients' requirements for blood transfusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.
authors.forename: Fady
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Balaa
authors.forename: Jean-Denis
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Yelle
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pagliarello
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lorimer
authors.forename: Jo-Anne
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: O'Brien
mesh_terms: D017707:Erythrocyte Transfusion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013156:Splenectomy; D013161:Splenic Rupture / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications*