Khawar Awais Butt, Nabeel Ahmed, Mehmood Alam, Somer Masood.
Still is there a role of diagnostic peritoneal lavage in the management of blunt abdominal trauma?.
Pak J Med Health Sci Jan ;5(1):158-61.

Objective: To find out the role of diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) and need of explorative laparotomy after blunt abdominal trauma. Methodology: This study was done in Combined Military Hospital Pano Aqil and Combined Military Hospital Kohat from October 2002 to September 2006. All patients presented with blunt abdominal trauma and evaluated with DPL were included in the study. The standard open technique of DPL was used. All patients with positive DPL were undergone explorative laparotomy while patients with negative DPL were admitted and observed and operated if signs of peritonitis were evident. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics. Results: During the study period total 51 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and included in the study. Of 51 patients, the tests on 25 (49.0%) patients were considered positive; 26 (51.0%) were negative. The 25 patients with positive tests were operated upon and liver was the commonest organ injured in 11 (47.8%) patients. Two (8.0%) of the 25 had a false positive test, a result of bleeding from the incision. Of 26 patients with negative tests, one was operated upon because of evidence of peritoneal irritation but had negative operative findings. Conclusion: DPL is an important tool in the evaluation of the blunt abdominal trauma patients. When indications of urgent surgery were not clear, a positive test allows for prompt intervention. A negative DPL test supports observation and subsequent discharge.

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