OBJECTIVETo investigate the monitoring and therapeutic methods of nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury.

METHODSEighty-two cases with nonoperative management of 95 patients of blunt splenic injury from September 2005 to April 2008 were analyzed retrospectively. Percutaneous peritoneal drainage was applied to 75 cases, and auto-blood transfusion was applied to 38 cases. Eighty-two cases were followed up from 3 weeks to 8 months.

RESULTSEighty-two patients with nonoperative management were treated successfully, including 34 cases classified as grade III to IV, 6 cases over 55-years-old, 14 cases with severe multiple injury (ISS > or = 16) and 37 cases whose drained peritoneal blood volume were over 500 ml. The drained peritoneal blood volume was 30 to 2400 ml. The total volume of auto-blood transfusion was 22 300 ml and the average volume was 613 ml. All cases were followed up without delayed hematocele or peritoneal infection.

CONCLUSIONSMost hemodynamically stable patients with blunt splenic injury can be healed with nonoperative management. The treatments including percutaneous peritoneal drainage and transfusion of auto-blood can significantly increase the performance rate and the achievement ratio of nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury.