Abdominal trauma and Liver some Management Considerations after a Retrospective Study.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The liver is the most frequently injured abdominal organ. Most of liver injuries are relatively minor and heal spontaneously with nonoperative management, which consists of observation and possibly arteriography and embolization. Purpose to describe the causes of trauma, the degree of injury, the chosen method of treatment, the success rate and the developed complications; comparing the results of our study with the results of literature. MATERIAL & METHODS: The study is of a retrospective character and includes all patients with abdominal trauma, presented in the Emergency Department to University Hospital of Trauma, Tirana, from May 2016 to May 2018. The study sample was taken randomly, without any study restriction. RESULTS: During the two years, 228 patients with liver trauma were reported, of whom 177 (78%) with blunt liver trauma and 51 (22%) with penetrating injuries. Men (72%) were more affected than females (28%) with a male-female ratio of 7: 3. The most common cause of the injuries was car accidents, while the most affected age group was 16-35 years old. In our study patients with blunt Liver trauma, 62% were treated NOM, and 38% OM. CONCLUSIONS: NOM is the chosen method for the management of blunt liver trauma in hemodynamically stable patients. NOM significantly improves the outcome compared to OM, in terms of decreased abdominal infections, decreased transfusions, and decreased hospitalization period. However, hemodynamically unstable patients with peritonitis should undergo immediate surgical intervention.

Keywords

• liver injuries
• abdominal trauma
• Blunt
• penetrating
• Management