The American surgeon
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The American surgeon · Oct 1989
Comparative StudyComparative accuracy of diagnostic peritoneal lavage, liver-spleen scintigraphy, and visceral angiography in blunt abdominal trauma.
Diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL), liver-spleen scintigraphy (LSS), and visceral angiography (VA) have been cited as useful in the evaluation of patients sustaining blunt abdominal trauma to determine the existence of injuries requiring operative intervention. We have reviewed the clinical courses of 44 patients who sustained blunt abdominal trauma and had various combinations of DPL, LSS, and VA employed in their diagnostic evaluation. The predictive value and efficiency of these tests have been compared in this group of patients. ⋯ In this group of patients who had multiple studies because of diagnostic uncertainty, DPL had the highest predictive value and the highest efficiency. LSS results did not by themselves dictate a change in management for any patient. In some patients VA was helpful in determining operative or nonoperative management.