The effect of clinical, laboratory and radiologic results on treatment decision and surgical results in patients admitted to the emergency department with blunt abdominal trauma due to traffic accident

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of clinical, laboratory and radiological results on treatment decision and surgical results in patients with blunt abdominal trauma, who were admitted to the emergency department due to traffic accident. METHODS: Two hundred and twenty-two patients with blunt abdominal trauma were included into this retrospective study. Pearson chi square, Mann-Whitney U test and logistic regression methods were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: All patients were analyzed by complete blood count and biochemistry and abdominal sonography. Eighty-two patients were also evaluated by CT. Twenty-three patients underwent surgery. Positive findings on physical examination, sonography and CT, increased white blood cell count and liver function tests, decreased hemoglobin were associated with the need for-surgery. DISCUSSION: For the surgical evaluation of patients with blunt abdominal trauma, a reliable physical examination is not possible when the patients have concomitant injuries causing disturbing pain, or when the patients are unconscious. Laboratory tests should be interpreted with the clinical and radiologic analysis. Radiologic procedures play an important role in the management of patients with blunt abdominal trauma, especially for intubated patients.