MANAGEMENT OF LIVER TRAUMA

The management of liver trauma.

Despite advances in the management of liver trauma during the past 40 years, haemorrhage has remained the commonest cause of death. This article outlines the diversity of opinion between the desire to determine the extent of damage and resect devitalised tissue with its attendant risk of exacerbating haemorrhage, and the alternative of a more conservative approach.

The management of liver trauma.

SURGICAL MANAGEMENt Of LIvER tRAUMA

Liver is the largest abdominal organ that is often affected by injuries due to blunt or penetrating trauma (1). Road traffic accidents and violence are responsible for the majority of liver injuries (2). A high incidence of liver trauma currently is secondary to a dominant role of mechanized transportation and increasing violent behaviour (3). Blunt injuries are dominant in Europe (4, 5, 6), wh...

The management of liver trauma.

The adult liver weighs around 1500 g and lies mainly in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, immediately beneath the diaphragm [1]. The liver is the most commonly injured intra-abdominal organ and is found to be damaged in 30% of patients undergoing laparotomy for penetrating injuries and in 15–20% of laparotomies for blunt injuries [2]. An appreciation of basic liver anatomy is essential i...

Liver Trauma: New Management Trends

Reprints available directly from the publisher Photocopying permitted by license only Significant trends in the treatment of hepatic trauma. Annals of Surgery; 215: 492-502. Several significant advances in the treatment of hepatic injuries have evolved over the past decade. These trends have been incorporated into the overall treatment strategy of hepatic injuries and are reflected in experienc...