EXPEDIENCY OF PERITONEAL LAVAGE FOR BLUNT TRAUMA IN CHILDREN

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 145  (6) , 885-888
Abstract
Children [230], 10 yr of age or younger, suspected of having blunt abdominal injuries underwent diagnostic peritoneal lavage. Peritoneal lavage was 99.1% accurate in determining presence or absence of abdominal injuries. One patient had a false-positive peritoneal lavage. Of the 70 patients with blunt abdominal injuries who underwent peritoneal lavage, (69) had a positive peritoneal lavage; 1 patient had a false-negative peritoneal lavage. Of the positive peritoneal lavages, 99% were grossly positive for hemoperitoneum. All 11 children with extraperitoneal abdominal injuries had positive peritoneal lavages from associated i.p. injuries. Mortality for children with blunt abdominal injuries was 19.4%. Intra-abdominal injuries were solely responsible for 29% of deaths and were a major contributing factor in an additional 21% of deaths. Routine use of diagnostic peritoneal lavage during the initial evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma was, in large part, responsible for the rapid, definitive treatment which the children with abdominal injuries received. Sixty-five% of the children underwent exploratory laparotomy within one hour of admission to the hospital.

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