CECT in the Evaluation and Management of Blunt Abdominal Trauma

Introduction: Trauma constitutes 3rd commonest cause of death after malignancy& vascular diseases. Abdominal trauma common in 20-40 %, blunt trauma constitutes 2/3rd cases. Aims& Objectives: To evaluate the role of CECT in diagnosis, grading, management and follow-up of blunt abdominal trauma in hemodynamically stable patients. Materials& Methods: 46 hemodynamically stable patients were included in this study, 35 were males and 11 females, age between 25 to 60years. CECT (i. v contrast) was done to all the patients. Results: Among the 46 patients, CECT showed splenic injuries in 28 patients, liver injuries in 13, hollow viscus perforation in 2, mesenteric vascular injury in 1, diaphragmatic injury in 1& duodenal injury in 1 patient. CT signs of hemoperitoneum (30-70HU), sub capsular hematoma, linear laceration, pneumoperitoneum, sentinel clot sign, contrast extravasation, CT collar sign with abdominal viscera herniation for diaphragmatic injury& Grading by AAST (American Association for Surgery of Trauma). Conclusions: Characterization of parenchymal injuries, accessibility to retro peritoneal injuries, detecting the bowel and mesenteric injuries, identifying the source of bleeding has greatly increased the accuracy of CECT in the management and clinical outcome of blunt abdominal trauma in hemodynamically stable patients.