[Evaluation of surgical methods in patients with blunt liver trauma].

Background: We evaluated the surgical methods, morbidity and mortality in patients who had surgery for blunt liver trauma.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 159 patients (116 males, 43 females; mean age 33.6; range 15 to 67 years) with blunt hepatic trauma regarding the cause and severity of liver injury, diagnostic procedures, associated injuries, management, morbidity, and mortality. Simple hepatorrhaphy was done in minor liver injuries (Grade I, II). To manage severe liver trauma (Grade III-V), debridement, selective hepatic artery ligation and omentum packing of the laceration (DSO) in 40; resectional debridement (RD) with direct control of bleeding vessels within the liver by the Pringle maneuver in 12; deep matress suture (DMS) in 23; and perihepatic packing (PP) in 9 patients were performed.

Results: The causes of trauma were motor vehicle accidents in 102, falls from height in 43 and violence induced blunt trauma in 14 patients. Among 159 patients, 84 had severe liver injuries and 75 had minor liver injuries. Associated organ injuries were present in 104 patients and splenic injury was the most common. Mean units of blood transfusions in DSO, DMS, RD and PP were 4.3, 6.2, 5.5 and 9.5 respectively. Mean time for liver surgery in DSO, RD, DMS and PP were 34.7, 38.1, 26 and 18.2 minutes respectively. Morbidity rate was higher in DMS group than in DSO and RD groups, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). Twenty-five patients (29.4%) died of severe liver injuries and 9 (12%) died of minor liver injuries. The overall mortality rate was 21.3%.

Conclusion: DSO, and RD methods don't increase operation time and amount of blood transfusion. They cause less morbidity and mortality when compared to DMS.