• N Manzini and T E Madiba.
• Department of Surgery, University of KwaZulu-Natal, King Edward VIII Hospital, Durban, South Africa.
• Injury. 2014 Sep 1;45(9):1378-83.

AimTo review our local experience with presentation and management of retroperitoneal haematomas (RPH) discovered at laparotomy and factors affecting outcome.MethodsPatients with retroperitoneal haematomas (RPHs) were identified from a prospective database. Data collected included demographics, clinical presentation, zones and organs involved, management and outcome.ResultsOf a total of 488 patients with abdominal trauma, 145 (30%) with RPH were identified 136 of whom were male (M:F=15:1). Mean age was 28.8 (SD 10.6) years and median delay before surgery was 7h. The injury mechanisms were firearms (109), stabs (24), and blunt trauma (12). Twenty-four patients (17%) presented with shock. There were 58 Zone I, 69 Zone II, and 38 Zone III haematomas. The median injury severity score (ISS) was 9. Fifty-two patients (36%) developed complications and 26 (18%) patients died. Sixty-four (44%) patients required ICU with median ICU stay of 3 days. All Zone I injuries were explored; Zones II and III were explored selectively. The mortality for Zones I, II, III and IV was 14%, 4%, 29% and 35%, respectively. Mortality was highest for blunt trauma and lowest for stabs (p=0.146). Twelve of 24 patients with shock died (50%) compared to 14 of 121 (12%) without shock (p<0.0001). Eighteen of 64 patients with <6-h delay before surgery died (28%) compared to 8 of 81 (10%) with >6-h delay (p<0.017). Mortality increased with increasing ISS. Median hospital stay was 8 days.ConclusionRPH accounted for 30% of abdominal trauma. Injury mechanism, presence of shock, delay before surgery and ISS showed a significant association with mortality.Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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