The distinct and secondary harmful effect of pelvic and extremity injury on the outcome of laparotomy for trauma.

HYPOTHESIS: Extra-abdominal injury negatively affects the outcome of abdominal injury following trauma laparotomy.

DESIGN

Retrospective review of 920 consecutive patients receiving laparotomy for trauma who survived more than 24 h between January 1989 and May 1998 at a Level 1 trauma center. Major abdominal complications (MAC) were defined as: abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS), abscess/peritonitis, enterocutaneous fistula, necrotizing fasciitis, and necrotizing pancreatitis.

METHODS

Univariant and multivariant logistic regression were used to identify predictors of MAC.

RESULTS

Sixty-nine patients (7.5%) developed one or more MAC. Patients who developed MAC had higher injury severity scores (ISS), abdominal trauma indices (ATI), and blood transfusions in the first 24 h (PRCs) than patients who did not develop MAC. Patients with MAC were more likely to have suffered a thoracic or pelvic injury with an abbreviated injury scale (AIS) > or =3 and were more likely to have received an extremity injury (AIS > or =3) operation than patients without MAC. Independent predictors of MAC in multivariant analysis included colon injury (AIS > or =3) [odds ratio (OR) = 3.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5- 6.3)], pelvic injury (AIS > or =3) or operation for extremity injury (AIS > or =3) [OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.5-5.3], and ATI (OR = 1.03 for each 10 unit increase in ATI, 95% CI 1.02-1.05). PRCs did not independently predict MAC.

CONCLUSION

The outcome of laparotomy for trauma (both blunt and penetrating) is negatively affected by a severe pelvic injury or a severe extremity injury operation independent of initial hemorrhage and abdominal injury severity.