title: Non-operative management of blunt splenic injuries in a paediatric population: a 12-year experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Non-operative management (NOM) is now the primary treatment for blunt splenic injuries in children. Only one study has examined the use of NOM in a Scandinavian population. Thus, the purpose of this study is to report our experience in treating children with blunt splenic injuries with NOM at a Danish university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective observational study of 34 consecutive children (aged 16 years or less) admitted to our level 1-trauma centre with blunt splenic injury in the 12-year period from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2012. Data on patients and procedures were obtained by review of all medical records and re-evaluation of all initial computed tomographies (CT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 34 children with a median age of 10.5 years (67.6% males) in this study. All patients were scheduled for NOM, and two (5.9%) patients underwent splenic artery embolisation (SAE). Two (5.9%) patients later needed surgical intervention. The NOM success rate was 88% (95% confidence interval (CI): 73-97%) without SAE and 94% (95% CI: 80-99%) with SAE. We found no difference in the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grade when comparing the initial CT evaluation (mean 2.59 ± 1.1) with the CT re-evaluation (mean 2.71 ± 0.94); p = 0.226.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We demonstrated a high degree of success and safety of non-operative treatment in children with blunt splenic injury in a Scandinavian setting. Our results are comparable to international findings.
authors: Abdominalkirurgisk Afdeling, Abdominalcentret, Aarhus Universitetshospital, Bygning 1C, Nørrebrogade 44, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. jakob.kirkegaard@auh.rm.dk.
authors: Jakob
authors: J
authors: Kirkegård
authors: Tue Højslev
authors: TH
authors: Avlund
authors: Nerijus
authors: N
authors: Amanavicius
authors: Frank Viborg
authors: FV
authors: Mortensen
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Kissmeyer-Nielsen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003718:Denmark; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013154:Spleen / Q000293:injuries*; D013157:Splenic Artery / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014193:Trauma Centers; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000628:therapy*