DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF SPLENIC RUPTUR E

During the past decade splenic rupture (n = 70) was treated non operat ive in 8 cases, by splenorrhaphy in 13 cases and by splenectomy in 49 patients. Splenic salvage was successful in 71% of the children but on ly in 12% of the injured adults. This is mainly due to a higher amount of associated injuries. Only 15% of all cases with isolated splenic t rauma required splenectomy. In case of multiple injury, however, 82% o f the patients were treated by splenectomy. Nearly all parenchymal inj uries of grade I an II could be managed without splenectomy. For the d iagnosis CT-findings were slightly more accurate than sonographic exam inations. We therefore recommend CT-scans especially in case of nonope rative treatment of splenic rupture.