This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (78)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Steve G. Hubbard, MD; Brack A. Bivins, MD; Charles R. Sachatello, MD; Ward O. Griffen, Jr, MD, PhD

Arch Surg. 1979;114(7):844-846.

Abstract
• Diagnostic peritoneal lavage, considered to be a highly accurate technique for detecting intraperitoneal blood in the trauma patient, may be less reliable in the presence of a pelvic fracture. In a retrospective review of 222 patients with pelvic fractures, 61 patients were found who had had a diagnostic peritoneal lavage performed as part of the initial evaluation of their condition. Twenty-six of these patients had had a negative lavage result. There had been no false-negative results in this group, although six patients required operations for extraperitoneal injuries. Of the 35 patients with a positive lavage result, 10 (29%) were found to have false-positive lavage results with no intraperitoneal source of bleeding. The only deaths in this series occurred in the group requiring operations, eight of 41 (20%). Four of the eight deaths were due to uncontrollable bleeding that resulted from exploration of the retroperitoneal hematoma. These data suggest that a negative lavage result is highly reliable in the patient with a pelvic fracture and should allow management with confidence that there is no severe intraperitoneal injury. Positive lavage results, however, must be interpreted with caution.

(Arch Surg 114:844-846, 1979)

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40506.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Dec 4, 1978.

Reprint requests to Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, KY 40506 (Dr Bivins).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

The Role of Laparoscopy in the Acute Abdomen and Trauma
Johnson and Luchette
SURG INNOV 1996;3:168-177.
ABSTRACT  

The Role of Laparoscopy in the Evaluation of Abdominal Trauma
Thal and Rossi
SURG INNOV 1996;3:178-184.
ABSTRACT  

Diagnostic Accuracy of Peritoneal Lavage in Patients With Pelvic Fractures
Mendez et al.
Arch Surg 1994;129:477-482.
ABSTRACT  

Pelvic Fracture Hemorrhage: Priorities in Management
Evers et al.
Arch Surg 1989;124:422-424.
ABSTRACT  

Inaccuracy of Diagnostic Peritoneal Lavage in Penetrating Colonic Trauma
Obeid et al.
Arch Surg 1984;119:906-908.
ABSTRACT  

Major Pelvic Fractures
Naam et al.
Arch Surg 1983;118:610-616.
ABSTRACT  

Computed Tomography in Blunt Abdominal Trauma
Federle et al.
Arch Surg 1982;117:645-650.
ABSTRACT