Background: In patients who sustain abdominal trauma the liver is the most frequently injured organ. Although treatment for haemodynamically unstable patients remains urgent surgery, there has been a shift of management in haemodynamacally stable patients towards non-operative management. We performed an outcome assessment of traumatic hepatic injury.
Methods: A retrospective study was performed to assess incidence, mechanisms, management and outcome of traumatic liver injury in the region of 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands, in the period 1999-2007.
Results: A total of 47 patients were identified. Thirty-six patients had blunt hepatic trauma, eleven sustained penetrating hepatic injury. In 67% (n = 24) of the blunt hepatic trauma patients the initial intention was to treat non-operatively. Yet, two patients underwent explorative laparotomy after one and two days. In the penetrating liver trauma patients, 91% (n = 10) underwent urgent surgery. In total, 31 of 47 patients were treated conservatively.
Conclusion: Blunt hepatic trauma is the most common cause of hepatic trauma. Most patients sustaining hepatic trauma can be managed conservatively at a dedicated ICU and/or surgical trauma ward.