[Computerised tomography in the diagnosis of intestinal and mesenteric injuries in closed abdominal trauma].
BACKGROUND
The frequency of bowel and mesenteric injuries is increasing. They are difficult to diagnose and delays in their diagnosis leads to a significantly increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of the computed tomography (CT) in the detection of blunt bowel and mesenteric injuries.


METHODS
Between January 2000 and October 2007, 79 patients with blunt abdominal trauma (60 men and 19 women) were included in our study. They underwent laparotomy after performing the abdominal CT. The CT findings were compared with the findings at laparotomy in order to determine the accuracy of the CT in the detection of bowel and mesenteric injuries.


RESULTS
For the detection of bowel and mesenteric injuries we obtained for the CT: Sensitivity=84.2%, Specificity=75.6%, Positive Predictive Value =76.2%, Negative Predictive Value =83.8%, Positive Probability Value=3.45 and Negative Probability Value =0.21. Accuracy: 79.7%.


CONCLUSIONS
The abdominal CT is suitable for detecting bowel and mesenteric injuries following blunt abdominal trauma.
Campillo-Soto
Alvaro
A
Servicio de Cirugía General y Digestiva, Hospital General Universitario JM Morales Meseguer, Murcia, España. alvaroalcubo@yahoo.es
Soria-Aledo
Víctor
V
Renedo-Villarroya
Ana
A
Millán
María José
MJ
Flores-Pastor
Benito
B
Girela-Baena
Enrique
E
de Andrés-García
Bruno
B
Carrillo-Alcaraz
Andrés
A
Martín-Lorenzo
Juan Gervasio
JG
Aguayo-Albasini
José Luis
JL
D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007422:Intestines / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries*; D008297:Male; D008643:Mesentery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014781:Viscera / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries*; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult