Sonography in a clinical algorithm for early evaluation of 1671 patients with blunt abdominal trauma

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sonography in our algorithm when differentiating patients with blunt abdominal trauma who need immediate surgery from patients who would benefit from further diagnostic workup or who need no treatment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We performed abdominal sonography as the primary screening tool in 1671 consecutive patients in our prospective study. Radiologists performed sonography in the trauma room within minutes of the arrival of each patient. Hemodynamic instability in conjunction with positive sonographic findings led to emergency laparotomy. Otherwise, positive sonographic findings warranted additional diagnostic tests. Observing free fluid or organ injury caused us to categorize sonographic findings as positive. RESULTS: Sonography correctly identified all patients requiring emergency laparotomy. No inconclusive laparotomies were performed in this group. The sensitivity of sonography for revealing intraabdominal injury was 88%, the specificity was 100%, and the accuracy was 99%. In 132 patients (8%), abdominal CT was performed. CT revealed relevant posttraumatic abnormalities in 61% of all patients. Four hundred seventy patients with negative sonographic findings were discharged approximately 12 hr after admission; two of these patients (0.4%) were mistakenly discharged. Trauma scores did not influence the efficacy of sonography. CONCLUSION: Our algorithm that uses sonography as the primary diagnostic tool provides accurate, fast, cost-effective, and noninvasive initial management of patients with blunt abdominal trauma. Our test characteristics were excellent indicators of the need for emergency laparotomy. Sonography also achieves high values in revealing relevant injury. Our algorithm produced medically satisfactory and economically prudent management of patients with blunt abdominal trauma.     

Hemoperitoneum as the sole indicator of abdominal visceral injuries: a potential limitation of screening abdominal US for trauma.

PURPOSE: To determine, at screening ultrasonography, the prevalence, severity, and clinical outcome of clinically important abdominal visceral injuries, without associated hemoperitoneum, that result from blunt abdominal trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Computed tomography (CT) was performed at admission in 466 patients with visceral injury. A retrospective review was performed of findings from surgery and contrast material-enhanced spiral and conventional CT performed to verify abdominal visceral injuries in 467 (4%) of 11,188 patients with blunt trauma. These patients were admitted to a level 1 trauma center over 33 months to determine the presence of hemoperitoneum and to identify the grade of injury. Medical records of patients with abdominal visceral injury without hemoperitoneum were reviewed for the management required and for results of focused abdominal sonography for trauma (FAST). RESULTS: A total of 575 abdominal visceral injuries were identified at CT and/or surgery. Findings of CT at admission (n = 156) and of surgery (n = 1) revealed no evidence of hemoperitoneum in 157 (34%) patients with abdominal visceral injury; 26 (17%) of whom also had negative FAST studies. Abdominal visceral injuries diagnosed in patients without hemoperitoneum included 57 (27%) of 210 splenic injuries, 71 (34%) of 206 hepatic injuries, 30 (48%) of 63 renal injuries, four (11%) of 35 mesenteric injuries, and two (29%) of seven pancreatic injuries. Surgical and/or angiographic intervention was required in 26 (17%) patients without hemoperitoneum. CONCLUSION: Reliance on the presence of hemoperitoneum as the sole indicator of abdominal visceral injury limits the value of FAST as a screening diagnostic modality for patients who sustain blunt abdominal trauma.     

Kontrastmittelsonographie beim stumpfen Bauchtrauma

With the introduction of second generation ultrasound contrast agents, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has become available as an adjunct to the conventional FAST (focused assessment with sonography in trauma) protocol and B-mode sonography of the abdomen after blunt force abdominal trauma. Results from several controlled studies indicate excellent diagnostic accuracy of CEUS for the exclusion of clinically relevant parenchymal injuries after blunt force abdominal trauma. Particularly in younger, hemodynamically stable patients this technique could contribute to a reliable exclusion of parenchymal injuries without the use of ionizing radiation. This report provides details on the technical performance of CEUS, shows examples of typical CEUS findings after blunt abdominal trauma and summarizes the current clinical evidence regarding the use of CEUS after blunt abdominal trauma.     

A 10-year restrospective evaluation of ultrasound in pregnant abdominal trauma patients

The pregnant abdominal trauma patient presents a unique diagnostic challenge. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of abdominal sonography for the detection of clinically important injuries in pregnant abdominal trauma patients. A retrospective review was performed of a trauma center database from 2001 to 2011. Medical records were reviewed to determine initial abdominal imaging test results and clinical course. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of ultrasound for detection of traumatic injury were calculated. Of 19,128 patients with suspected abdominal trauma, 385 (2 %) were pregnant. Of these, 372 (97 %) received ultrasound as the initial abdominal imaging test. All 13 pregnant patients who did not receive ultrasound received abdominal CT. Seven pregnant patients underwent both ultrasound and CT. Seven ultrasound examinations were positive, leading to one therapeutic Cesarean section and one laparotomy. One ultrasound was considered false positive (no injury was seen on subsequent CT). There were 365 negative ultrasound examinations. Of these, 364 were true negative (no abdominal injury subsequently found). One ultrasound was considered false negative (a large fetal subchorionic hemorrhage seen on subsequent dedicated obstetrical ultrasound). Sensitivity and positive predictive value were 85.7 %. Specificity and negative predictive value were 99.7 %. Abdominal sonography is an effective and sufficient imaging examination in pregnant abdominal trauma patients. When performed as part of the initial assessment using an abbreviated trauma protocol with brief modifications for pregnancy, ultrasound minimizes diagnostic delay, obviates radiation risk, and provides high sensitivity for injury in the pregnant population.     

急诊床旁超声在腹部脏器闭合性损伤诊断中的应用价值

目的 探讨急诊床旁超声检查对腹部闭合性损伤的诊断应用价值.方法 应用便携式超声仪对184例外伤患者行急诊床旁超声检查,观察腹部脏器声像图有无异常改变,并重视观察腹腔内有无游离液体及气体.结果 超声诊断总符合率91.8%(169/184),其中单脏器损伤156例,符合率95.5%(149/156),多脏器损伤28例,符合率71.4%(20/28),漏诊21例,误诊3例,漏、误诊率13%(24/184).手术治疗119例;保守治疗65例,经CT、MRI检查及临床保守治疗证实.结论 急诊床旁超声检查对腹部闭合性损伤的诊断符合率高,为临床提供迅速、可靠的诊断信息.     

急诊床旁超声在腹部脏器闭合性损伤诊断中的应用价值

目的 探讨急诊床旁超声检查对腹部闭合性损伤的诊断应用价值.方法 应用便携式超声仪对184例外伤患者行急诊床旁超声检查,观察腹部脏器声像图有无异常改变,并重视观察腹腔内有无游离液体及气体.结果 超声诊断总符合率91.8%(169/184),其中单脏器损伤156例,符合率95.5%(149/156),多脏器损伤28例,符合率71.4%(20/28),漏诊21例,误诊3例,漏、误诊率13%(24/184).手术治疗119例;保守治疗65例,经CT、MRI检查及临床保守治疗证实.结论 急诊床旁超声检查对腹部闭合性损伤的诊断符合率高,为临床提供迅速、可靠的诊断信息.     

急诊床旁超声在腹部脏器闭合性损伤诊断中的应用价值

目的 探讨急诊床旁超声检查对腹部闭合性损伤的诊断应用价值.方法 应用便携式超声仪对184例外伤患者行急诊床旁超声检查,观察腹部脏器声像图有无异常改变,并重视观察腹腔内有无游离液体及气体.结果 超声诊断总符合率91.8%(169/184),其中单脏器损伤156例,符合率95.5%(149/156),多脏器损伤28例,符合率71.4%(20/28),漏诊21例,误诊3例,漏、误诊率13%(24/184).手术治疗119例;保守治疗65例,经CT、MRI检查及临床保守治疗证实.结论 急诊床旁超声检查对腹部闭合性损伤的诊断符合率高,为临床提供迅速、可靠的诊断信息.     

Trauma ultrasound feasibility during helicopter transport

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of performing a standard four-view focused abdominal sonography for trauma (FAST) examination during helicopter transport using a hand-carried ultrasound machine.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, actual and simulated trauma patients were evaluated using the SonoSite 180 ultrasound machine by two air transport programs serving Level 1 trauma centers. FAST examinations were performed in flight by emergency medicine faculty, residents, flight nurses, and ultrasound technologists, who rated the difficulty posed by various factors using Likert scales (0 = not difficult to 5 = impossible). BK 117, Bell 230, and BO 105 medical helicopters flew in all aviating modes. Pilots were queried regarding avionics variations throughout the flights.

Results: Ten flight sonographers performed 21 FAST examinations on 14 patients (five actual, nine simulated). The median Likert value for each parameter was 0 except for patient position, which was 1 (somewhat difficult). Interquartile ranges were 0-0 for vibration, bedding, IV catheters, monitor cables, and ventilator; 0–0.5 for backboard straps; and 0–1 for sunlight, patient position, spider straps, gurney straps, and clothing. Mean examination duration was 3.0 minutes (range 1.5 to 5.5 minutes, SD 1.3). Pilots reported no effects on avionics in any flight mode.

Conclusion: The FAST examination using the SonoSite 180 in flight was rated by 10 evaluators to be performed easily. Examinations were conducted quickly and did not interfere with helicopter avionics. This digital ultrasound machine is the first one small enough to be used in most medical helicopters.     

Blunt abdominal trauma: comparison of ultrasonography and computed tomography in a district general hospital

Ultrasonography has been proposed as a screening method for blunt abdominal trauma, but its specific role in comparison with other diagnostic modalities has yet to be defined. The aim of the present retrospective study was to compare the results of ultrasonography and CT of the abdomen in blunt trauma in a district general hospital. The hospital records of 25 patients who were admitted with blunt abdominal trauma to Southland Hospital, Invercargill, New Zealand, between January 1991 and November 1996 and who had both ultrasound and CT of the abdomen within 48 h of admission were reviewed. Ultrasound missed seven lesions in seven patients (7/25, 28%) compared with CT. Three of these were intestinal lesions that needed laparotomy. Ultrasound had a usefulness index of 1, 0.76, 0.72, 0.69 and 0, respectively, for detecting lesions of the kidneys, free intraperitoneal fluid, the liver, the spleen, and intestines. Although ultrasound can be used as an initial screening method for blunt abdominal trauma, CT is still the imaging modality of choice for detecting intra-abdominal lesions for stable patients in a district general hospital.     

创伤超声重点评估在胸腹部创伤急救中的应用

从20世纪70年代超声应用于腹部创伤诊断开始,超声检查在创伤急救领域得到不断应用和发展,并在此基础上提出了创伤超声重点评估(focused assessment with sonography for trauma,FAST)的概念。本文主要综述近年来关于FAST在胸腹部创伤评估方面的应用现状,以促进FAST在我国的应用普及与发展。     

Nonoperative management of hepatic trauma

In an attempt to determine whether selective, nonoperative management of hepatic trauma might be efficacious, a retrospective review of liver injuries was undertaken. Of the 48 patients with liver injuries identified, there were 34 men and 14 women with an average age of 28.5 years. Mechanism of injury consisted of blunt trauma in 23 patients, stab wounds in 14 patients, and 11 patients had gunshot wounds. There were 12 grade I injuries, 15 grade II injuries, 17 grade III injuries, 2 grade IV injuries, and 1 grade V injury. Diagnosis of liver trauma was made at the time of exploratory laparotomy in 15 patients and suggested by abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan in 18 patients; the remaining 15 patients had a positive peritoneal lavage which led to exploratory laparotomy. Following blunt trauma, 14 patients, all of whom underwent diagnostic abdominal CT scans which confirmed hepatic injury, had nonoperative treatment. All patients who received nonoperative management maintained stable vital signs and only five required transfusion. None of the patients who were treated nonoperatively developed complications or required delayed laparotomy. There were no deaths in this group. Of the 34 patients undergoing exploratory laparotomy, 19 required either no treatment or minor hepatorrhaphy. However, 17 of 25 patients with penetrating wounds had associated abdominal injuries which required operative treatment. Based on the information obtained in this review, it is recommended that stable patients with isolated hepatic injuries, secondary to blunt trauma confirmed by CT scan, may be managed nonoperatively. Due to the high frequency of associated injuries found in patients with penetrating trauma, nonoperative therapy is not advised.     

CT imaging signs of surgically proven bowel trauma

The objective of this study was to determine the incidence and interobserver agreement of individual CT findings as well as the bowel injury prediction score (BIPS) in surgically proven bowel injury after blunt abdominal trauma. This HIPAA-compliant retrospective study was IRB approved and consent was waived. All patients 14 years or older who sustained surgically proven bowel injury after blunt abdominal trauma between 1/1/2004 and 6/30/2015 were included. Admission trauma MDCT scans were independently interpreted by two abdominal fellowship-trained radiologists who recorded the following CT findings: intraperitoneal fluid, mesenteric hematoma/fat stranding, bowel wall thickening/hematoma, active intravenous contrast extravasation, free intraperitoneal air, bowel wall discontinuity, and focal bowel hypoenhancement. Subsequently, the electronic medical records of the included patients, admission abdominal physical exam results, admission white blood cell count, and findings at exploratory laparotomy of the included patients were recorded. Thirty-three patients met the inclusion criteria. The incidence and interobserver agreement of the CT findings were as follows: intraperitoneal fluid 93.9 %, kappa?=?0.784 (good); mesenteric hematoma/fat stranding 84.8 %, kappa?=?0.718 (good); bowel wall thickening/hematoma 42.4 %, kappa?=?0.491 (moderate); active IV contrast extravasation 36.3 %, kappa?=?1.00 (perfect); free intraperitoneal air 21.2 %, kappa?=?0.904 (very good), bowel wall discontinuity 6.1 %, kappa?=?1.00 (perfect); and focal bowel hypoenhancement 6.1 %, kappa?=?0.468 (moderate). An absence of the specified CT findings was encountered in 9.1 % with surgically proven bowel injuries (kappa?=?1.00, perfect). In our study, 9/16 patients or 56.3 % had a bowel injury prediction score (BIPS) of 2 or more as defined by McNutt et al. (J Trauma Acute Care Surg 78(1):105–111, 2014). The presence of intraperitoneal fluid and mesenteric hematoma/fat stranding are the most common CT findings in bowel injuries proven at laparotomy. A small percentage of patients have no abnormal CT findings. This grading system did not prove to be useful in our study likely due to our inherently small patient population; however, the use of BIPS deserves further investigation as it may help in identifying blunt bowel and mesenteric injury patients with often subtle or nonspecific CT findings.     

Immune Function After Splenic Artery Embolization for Blunt Trauma: Long-Term Assessment of CD27+ IgM B-Cell Levels

Splenic artery embolization (SAE) plays a critical role in the treatment of high-grade splenic injury not requiring emergent laparotomy. SAE preserves splenic tissue, and growing evidence demonstrates preserved short-term splenic immune function after SAE. However, long-term function is less studied. Patients who underwent SAE for blunt abdominal trauma over a 10-year period were contacted for long-term follow-up. Sixteen participants (sex: women, 10, and men, 6; age: median, 34 years, and range, 18–67 years) were followed up at a median of 7.7 years (range, 4.7–12.8 years) after embolization. Splenic lacerations were of American Association for the Surgery of Trauma grades III to V, and 14 procedures involved proximal embolization. All individuals had measurable levels of IgM memory B cells (median, 14.30 as %B cells), splenic tissue present on ultrasound (median, 122 mL), and no history of severe infection since SAE. In conclusion, this study quantitatively demonstrated that long-term immune function remains after SAE for blunt abdominal trauma based on the IgM memory B cell levels.     

Blunt injury to mesentery and small bowel: CT evaluation

Helical CT now allows rapid acquisition of sections through the abdomen and pelvis with optimal vascular opacification and minimal motion artifact. Oral contrast may aid in the identification of subtle bowel and mesenteric injuries and does not have any significant deleterious effects. CT findings of extraluminal enteric contrast, active hemorrhage, or free intraperitoneal-retroperitoneal air allow accurate diagnosis of SBMI in the setting of blunt abdominal trauma. Mesenteric hematoma in association with bowel wall thickening or the presence of significant amounts of free fluid without solid organ injury is highly suspicious for SBMI requiring laparotomy. CT alone or in concert with DPL and physical examination is a valuable tool in the timely diagnosis and treatment of bowel and mesenteric injury caused by blunt trauma.     

Screening US for blunt abdominal trauma: a retrospective study

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of screening US in patients with blunt abdominal trauma first admitted in the trauma centre of our general hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The reports of 864 abdominal US examinations of primary trauma patients (139 with major and 725 with minor injuries) obtained with standard protocols were retrieved. For each case, US reports were reviewed and compared to the best available reference standard. The accuracy of US was assessed by evaluating the method's overall ability to distinguish negative from positive cases by showing at least one of the lesions documented by the reference standard and its specific ability to depict injuries separately and independently. RESULTS: US exhibited a satisfactory overall ability to distinguish negative from positive patients (91.5% sensibility and 97.5% specificity in major trauma patients vs. 73.3% sensibility and 98.1% specificity in minor trauma patients) and a satisfactory specific ability to depict injuries separately and independently in major trauma patients. Of the 21/864 false negative reports (5 in patients with major and 16 in cases with minor trauma), only one affected patient management, a major trauma case, by delaying an emergency laparotomy. CONCLUSIONS: Its satisfactory accuracy for major trauma suggests that US could be employed not only to screen cases for emergency laparotomy but also as an alternative to screening CT. However, since major traumatic injuries generally carry an imperative indication for CT, especially as regards neurological, thoracic and skeletal evaluation, US has the not secondary task of performing a prompt preliminary examination using a simplified technique in the emergency room simultaneously with resuscitation.     

Penetrating trauma to the abdominal aorta: CT demonstration of active bleeding

Contrast-enhanced helical computed tomography (CT) is the imaging study of choice for evaluating the abdomen in hemodynamically stable patients following blunt trauma. Surviving victims of penetrating trauma, in contrast, are often hemodynamically unstable and may require urgent celiotomy with or without diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) or ultrasonography. Abdominal CT is not routinely performed in this patient population, but may be done if the patient with penetrating abdominal trauma is stable on admission or becomes so with resuscitation. CT in this context can address questions regarding the location and extent of injury and help decide appropriate management. We present a case of a stabilized blunt and penetrating trauma patient with negative DPL and active retroperitoneal aortic extravasation demonstrated by CT. To our knowledge, penetrating injury to the aorta with active bleeding has not been previously seen on CT.     

CT detection of serious internal and skeletal injuries in patients with pelvic fractures

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the percentage of patients with known pelvic fractures who have additional findings of intraabdominal injury, as diagnosed at abdominal computed tomography (CT), and to determine if patients with specific types or patterns of fractures are more likely to have additional injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors reviewed the medical records of 200 consecutive patients (125 women, 75 men; age range, 4-86 years) who had been admitted to a level 1 trauma center with osseous pelvic injury secondary to blunt trauma and who had undergone abdominal CT examinations. Abdominal CT findings in these patients were classified as negative, positive, or minimal and correlated with mechanism of pelvic fracture. RESULTS: Sixty-five (32%) of the 200 patients had negative CT findings, 43 (22%) had findings attributable to the trauma but required no follow-up, and 92 (46%) had positive findings that required nonsurgical management or exploratory laparotomy. Additional pelvic fractures were identified in 63 (32%) patients. The highest prevalence of additional injuries was in patients with Malgaigne fractures (four of 15, 27%) or bilateral pubic rami fractures (six of 18, 33%). CONCLUSION: CT examinations revealed that 135 (68%) of 200 patients with pelvic fractures secondary to blunt trauma had concomitant internal or skeletal injuries and that 92 (46%) patients had injuries severe enough to require nonsurgical management or exploratory laparotomy. Patients with bilateral pubic rami fractures or Malgaigne fractures were particularly prone to additional injuries; therefore, abdominal CT examinations are recommended in these patients.     

The blunt abdominal trauma (author's transl)

Up to 1970 the number of patients suffering from blunt abdominal trauma showed a substantial increase. In more than 50% of all cases there are additional injuries. The most important factor influencing the prognosis of these patients is the early and correct indication for operation and the avoidance of unnecessary laparotomies. As a primary aim in diagnosis one should consider the recognition of an intraperitoneal bleeding without risk for the patient. Peritoneal lavage as an invasive method with low complication rates has proved good. First reports also show good results using the sonography of the abdomen. The recognition of the injured organ allows a carefully directed operation. Concerning the prognosis it is of minor importance. The diagnosis in patients with blunt abdominal trauma at the university clinic of Freiburg consists of: sonography, followed in positive cases by laparotomy or angiography and laparotomy. In cases with questionable results a lavage is done.     

手术治疗腹部闭合性损伤80例

目的：探讨腹部闭合性损伤的手术治疗。方法：回顾性分析我院近年来收治的80例腹部闭合性损伤患者的临床资料。结果：80例腹部闭合性损伤的患者,经剖腹探查手术治疗,成功治愈74例,治愈率为92.5%,死亡6例,死亡率为7.5%。其中,2例患者死于肝破裂大出血,2例患者死于颅脑外伤,3例患者死于多脏器衰竭。结论：对于腹部闭合性损伤,临床医生必须细致检查和严密动态观察,以便于早期诊断,并提出合理的治疗方案,以提高手术治疗效果,减少术后并发症的发生,降低死亡率。     

Diagnostic performance of trauma US in identifying abdominal or pelvic free fluid and serious abdominal or pelvic injury

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the ability of a six-point trauma ultrasound (US) evaluation (a) to identify the presence of free fluid in the abdomen or pelvis, with computed tomography (CT) and laparotomy used as diagnostic standards and (b) to predict the presence of abdominal or pelvic injury, particularly injury requiring surgical intervention. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 156 patients who underwent US evaluation for free fluid after sustaining blunt and penetrating trauma, 147 were entered into the prospective study and underwent follow-up CT and/or laparotomy (n = 79), in-hospital observation, or outpatient examination. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and overall accuracy of US for identifying abdominal or pelvic free fluid were 69%, 100%, 100%, 95%, and 95%, respectively. The corresponding values for predicting abdominal and pelvic injury on the basis of free fluid status alone were 57%, 99%, 80%, 96%, and 95%, respectively. Performing repeated US examinations in patients with deteriorating clinical status decreased the false-negative rate by 50%, increasing the sensitivity for free fluid detection to 85% and the negative predictive value to 97%. Similarly, the sensitivity and negative predictive value for detection of injury increased to 71% and 97%, respectively. A learning curve was also observed, with 67% of the false-negative findings occurring in the first 3 months of the 19-month study. CONCLUSION: A six-point trauma US evaluation can reliably identify abdominal and pelvic free fluid, which can be a reliable indicator of abdominal or pelvic injury. Scanning conditions must be optimized, and the approach to clinical management must be cautious.