Abstract
The majority of splenic injuries are currently managed nonoperatively. The primary indication for operative management of blunt splenic injury is hemodynamic instability. Findings which correlate with failure of nonoperative management include grade IV or V splenic injury, high Injury Severity Scores, or active extravasation. The role of angiograph/embolization is becoming better defined, appropriate in the patient with pseudoaneurysm or active extravasation or the stable patient with grade IV or V splenic injury.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boscak AR, Shanmuganathan K, Mirvis SE, Fleiter TR, Miller LA, Sliker CW, Steenburg SD, Alexander M. Optimizing trauma multidetector CT protocol for blunt splenic injury: need for arterial and portal venous phase scans. Radiology. 2013;268:79–88.
Uyeda JW, LeBedis CA, Penn DR, Soto JA, Anderson SW. Active hemorrhage and vascular injuries in splenic trauma: utility of the arterial phase in multidetector CT. Radiology. 2014;270:99–106.
Moore EE, Shackford SR, Pachter HL, McAninch JW, Browner BD, Champion HR, Flint LM, Gennarelli TA, Malangoni MA, Ramenofsky ML. Organ injury scaling: spleen, liver, and kidney. J Trauma-Inj Infect Crit Care. 1989;29:1664–6.
Peitzman AB, Heil B, Rivera L, Federle MB, Harbrecht BG, Clancy KD, Croce M, Enderson BL, Morris JA, Shatz D. Blunt splenic injury in adults: multi-institutional study of the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma. J Trauma-Inj Infect Crit Care. 2000;49:177–89.
Stassen NA, Bhullar I, Cheng JD, Crandall ML, Friese RS, Guillamondegui OD, Jawa RS, Maung AA, Rohs TJ Jr, Sangosanya A. Selective nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury: an Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma practice management guideline. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2012;73:S294–300.
Peitzman AB, Harbrecht BG, Rivera L, Heil B. Failure of observation of blunt splenic injury in adults: variability in practice and adverse consequences. J Am Coll Surg. 2005;201:179–87.
Watson GA, Rosengart MR, Zenati MS, Tsung A, Forsythe RM, Peitzman AB, Harbrecht BG. Nonoperative management of severe blunt splenic injury: are we getting better? J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2006;61:1113–9.
Velmahos GC, Zacharias N, Emhoff TA, Feeney JM, Hurst JM, Crookes BA, Harrington DT, Gregg SC, Brotman S, Burke PA. Management of the most severely injured spleen: a multicenter study of the Research Consortium of New England Centers for Trauma (ReCONECT). Arch Surg. 2010;145:456–60.
Bee TK, Croce MA, Miller PR, Pritchard FE, Fabian TC. Failures of splenic nonoperative management: is the glass half empty or half full? J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2001;50:230–6.
Haan JM, Bochicchio GV, Kramer N, Scalea TM. Nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury: a 5-year experience. J Trauma-Inj Infect Crit Care. 2005;58:492–8.
Miller PR, Chang MC, Hoth JJ, Mowery NT, Hildreth AN, Martin RS, Holmes JH, Meredith JW, Requarth JA. Prospective trial of angiography and embolization of all grade III–V blunt splenic injuries: nonoperative management success rate is significantly improved. J Am Coll Surg. 2014;218:644–8.
Fu CY, Wu SC, Chen RJ, Chen YF, Wang YC, Huang HC, Huang JC, Lu CW, Lin WC. Evaluation of need for operative intervention in blunt splenic injury: intraperitoneal contrast extravasation has an increased probability of requiring operative intervention. World J Surg. 2010;34:2745–51.
Burlew CC, Kornblith LZ, Moore EE, Johnson JL, Biffl WL. Blunt trauma induced splenic blushes are not created equal. World J Emerg Surg. 2012;7:8.
Federle MP, Courcoulas AP, Powell M, Ferris JV, Peitzman AB. Blunt splenic injury in adults: clinical and CT criteria for management, with emphasis on active extravasation. Radiology. 1998;206:137–42.
Omert LA, Salyer D, Dunham CM, Porter J, Silva A, Protetch J. Implications of the “contrast blush” finding on computed tomographic scan of the spleen in trauma. J Trauma-Inj Infect Crit Care. 2001;51:272–8.
Schurr MJ, Fabian TC, Gavant M, Croce MA, Kudsk KA, Minard G, Woodman G, Pritchard FE. Management of blunt splenic trauma: computed tomographic contrast blush predicts failure of nonoperative management. J Trauma-Inj Infect Crit Care. 1995;39:507–13.
Post R, Engel D, Pham J, Barrios C. Computed tomography blush and splenic injury: does it always require angioembolization? Am Surg. 2013;79:1089–92.
Bhullar IS, Frykberg ER, Siragusa D, Chesire D, Paul J, Tepas JJ III, Kerwin AJ. Selective angiographic embolization of blunt splenic traumatic injuries in adults decreases failure rate of nonoperative management. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2012;72:1127–34.
Bhullar IS, Frykberg ER, Tepas JJ III, Siragusa D, Loper T, Kerwin AJ. At first blush: absence of computed tomography contrast extravasation in grade IV or V adult blunt splenic trauma should not preclude angioembolization. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013;74:105–12.
Requarth JA, D’Agostino RB Jr, Miller PR. Nonoperative management of adult blunt splenic injury with and without splenic artery embolotherapy: a meta-analysis. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2011;71:898–903.
Zarzaur BL, Kozar RA, Fabian TC, Coimbra R. A survey of American Association for the Surgery of Trauma member practices in the management of blunt splenic injury. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2011;70:1026–31.
Banerjee A, Duane TM, Wilson SP, Haney S, OΓÇÖNeill PJ, Evans HL, Como JJ, Claridge JA. Trauma center variation in splenic artery embolization and spleen salvage: A multicenter analysis. J Trauma-Inj Infect Crit Care. 2013;75:69–75.
Sabe AA, Claridge JA, Rosenblum DI, Lie K, Malangoni MA. The effects of splenic artery embolization on nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury: a 16-year experience. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2009;67:565–72.
Skattum J, Naess PA, Eken T, Gaarder C. Refining the role of splenic angiographic embolization in high-grade splenic injuries. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013;74:100–4.
Gaarder C, Dormagen JB, Eken T, Skaga NO, Klow NE, Pillgram-Larsen J, Buanes T, Naess PA. Nonoperative management of splenic injuries: improved results with angioembolization. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2006;61:192–8.
Marmery H, Shanmuganathan K, Mirvis SE, Richard H III, Sliker C, Miller LA, Haan JM, Witlus D, Scalea TM. Correlation of multidetector CT findings with splenic arteriography and surgery: prospective study in 392 patients. J Am Coll Surg. 2008;206:685–93.
Olthof DC, Sierink JC, van Delden OM, Luitse JSK, Goslings JC. Time to intervention in patients with splenic injury in a Dutch level 1 trauma centre. Injury. 2014;45:95–100.
Cirocchi R, Boselli C, Corsi A, Farinella E, Listorti C, Trastulli S, Renzi C, Desiderio J, Santoro A, Cagini L. Is non-operative management safe and effective for all splenic blunt trauma? A systematic review. Crit Care. 2013;17:R185.
Olthof DC, Joosse P, van der Vlies CH, de Haan RJ, Goslings JC. Prognostic factors for failure of nonoperative management in adults with blunt splenic injury: a systematic review. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013;74:546–57.
Teixeira PG, Karamanos E, Okoye OT, Talving P, Inaba K, Lam L, Demetriades D. Splenectomy in patients with traumatic brain injury: protective or harmful? A National Trauma Data Bank analysis. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013;75:596–601.
Olthof DC, van der Vlies CH, Joosse P, van Delden OM, Jurkovich GJ, Goslings JC. Consensus strategies for the nonoperative management of patients with blunt splenic injury: a Delphi study. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2013;74:1567–74.
Zarzaur BL, Vashi S, Magnotti LJ, Croce MA, Fabian TC. The real risk of splenectomy after discharge home following nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury. J Trauma-Inj Infect Crit Care. 2009;66:1531–8.
McIntyre LK, Schiff M, Jurkovich GJ. Failure of nonoperative management of splenic injuries: causes and consequences. Arch Surg. 2005;140:563–9.
Clancy AA, Tiruta C, Ashman D, Ball CG, Kirkpatrick AW. The song remains the same although the instruments are changing: complications following selective non-operative management of blunt spleen trauma: a retrospective review of patients at a level I trauma centre from 1996 to 2007. J Trauma Manag Outcomes. 2012;6:1–10.
Leeper WR, Leeper TJ, Ouellette D, Moffat B, Sivakumaran T, Charyk-Stewart T, Kribs S, Parry NG, Gray DK. Delayed hemorrhagic complications in the nonoperative management of blunt splenic trauma: early screening leads to a decrease in failure rate. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2014;76:1349–53.
London JA, Parry L, Galante J, Battistella F. Safety of early mobilization of patients with blunt solid organ injuries. Arch Surg. 2008;143:972–6.
Stylianos S. Evidence-based guidelines for resource utilization in children with isolated spleen or liver injury. J Pediatr Surg. 2000;35:164–9.
St Peter SD, Aguayo P, Juang D, Sharp SW, Snyder CL, Holcomb GW III, Ostlie DJ. Follow up of prospective validation of an abbreviated bedrest protocol in the management of blunt spleen and liver injury in children. J Pediatr Surg. 2013;48:2437–41.
Eberle BM, Schnüriger B, Inaba K, Cestero R, Kobayashi L, Barmparas G, Oliver M, Demetriades D. Thromboembolic prophylaxis with low-molecular-weight heparin in patients with blunt solid abdominal organ injuries undergoing nonoperative management: current practice and outcomes. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2011;70:141–7.
Joseph B, Pandit V, Harrison C, Lubin D, Kulvatunyou N, Zangbar B, Tang A, O’Keeffe T, Green DJ, Gries L. Early thromboembolic prophylaxis in patients with blunt solid abdominal organ injuries undergoing non-operative management: is it safe?. Am J Surg. 2015;209:194–8.
Ricci MA, Trevisani GT, Pilcher DB. Vascular complications of cardiac catheterization. Am J Surg. 1994;167:375–8.
Ekeh AP, Khalaf S, Ilyas S, Kauffman S, Walusimbi M, McCarthy MC. Complications arising from splenic artery embolization: a review of an 11-year experience. Am J Surg. 2013;205:250–4.
Frandon J, Rodière M, Arvieux C, Michoud M, Vendell A, Broux C, Sengel C, Bricault I, Ferretti G, Thony F. Blunt splenic injury: outcomes of proximal versus distal and combined splenic artery embolization. Diagn Interv Imaging. 2014;95:825–31.
Schnüriger B, Inaba K, Konstantinidis A, Lustenberger T, Chan LS, Demetriades D. Outcomes of proximal versus distal splenic artery embolization after trauma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2011;70:252–60.
Skattum J, Titze TL, Dormagen JB, Aaberge IS, Bechensteen AG, Gaarder PI, Gaarder C, Heier HE, Næss PA. Preserved splenic function after angioembolisation of high grade injury. Injury. 2012;43:62–6.
Nakae H, Shimazu T, Miyauchi H, Morozumi J, Ohta S, Yamaguchi Y, Kishikawa M, Ueyama M, Kitano M, Ikeuchi H. Does splenic preservation treatment (embolization, splenorrhaphy, and partial splenectomy) improve immunologic function and long-term prognosis after splenic injury? J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2009;67:557–64.
Conflict of interest
Gregory A. Watson, Marcus K. Hoffman, and Andrew B. Peitzman declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Compliance with ethical requirements
This work is in compliance with ethical requirements. Gregory A. Watson, Marcus K. Hoffman, and Andrew B. Peitzman declare that this is a review article that includes no studies on humans or animals.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Watson, G.A., Hoffman, M.K. & Peitzman, A.B. Nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury: what is new?. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 41, 219–228 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-015-0520-1
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-015-0520-1