Ultrasonography for interval assessment in the nonoperative management of hepatic trauma

Abdominal ultrasonography (US) is gaining widespread acceptance as a valuable diagnostic tool in the initial evaluation of trauma victims. We investigated the utility of US as a follow-up radiologic study in nonoperative hepatic trauma. Patients with liver injury designated for nonoperative management were prospectively studied over a 2-year period at our primary adult resource center for trauma. Computed tomography (CT) and radiologist-performed US were obtained at admission and at 1 week. The ability of US to detect lesions, fluid, and complications was evaluated by comparing with the corresponding CT. Twenty-five hepatic trauma patients in the study were successfully managed nonoperatively and had both initial and follow-up US and CT scans: 1 (4%) grade 1, 5 (20%) grade 11, 7 (28%) grade III, 7 (28%) grade IV, and 5 (20%) grade V. Four complications developed [biloma (3) and biliary fistula (1)] in 3 patients with grade IV injury and I with a grade II injury. Interval US appropriately detected a complication or confirmed the absence of complication in all (13/13, 100%) patients with low-grade (I-III) injury and only missed a small biloma in one patient with a grade IV injury. Interval US and CT agreement was 92 per cent for change in hemoperitoneum or parenchymal lesion. Ultrasonography is a convenient imaging modality in the evaluation of hepatic trauma. US is sufficient to detect or exclude complications in low-grade injuries. In high-grade injuries, US may be an adjunct to CT for definitive interval assessment.