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SPLENORRHAPHY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SPLENIC INJURY
Author(s) -
Wetzig N. R.,
Strong R. W.,
Theile D. E.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.111
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 0004-8682
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1986.tb02326.x
Subject(s) - medicine , intensive care medicine
A retrospective study of 301 adult splenic injuries presenting to the Princess Alexandra Hospital during a 15 year period, from 1970 to 1984, was conducted. Particular attention was paid to the last 5 years during which 25% of the ruptured spleens were preserved. The details of the preserved spleens are discussed. Respiratory infections were the only complications in this same selected group of patients; the complication rate being higher in the splenectomy group (15.8%) than the splenorrhaphy group (6.25%). None of the cases of splenorrhaphy required re‐operation for continued haemorrhage. Twenty‐five per cent of all cases of splenic injury had associated intra‐abdominal injury which, of its own nature, would require laparotomy. A policy of operative management for splenic injury in adults with major trauma is therefore proposed because of the rate of associated intra‐abdominal injuries. When laparotomy is performed, splenorrhaphy should be considered because of the now widely acknowledged risks of diminished immunological competence and overwhelming sepsis in asplenic individuals.