Surgical management of injuries to the abdomen in patients with multiple and/or severe trauma- a systematic review and clinical practice guideline update.

PURPOSE: Our aim was to update evidence-based and consensus-based recommendations for the surgical management of abdominal injuries in patients with multiple and/or severe injuries based on current evidence. This guideline topic is part of the 2022 update of the German Guideline on the Treatment of Patients with Multiple and/or Severe Injuries.

METHODS

MEDLINE and Embase were systematically searched to May 2021. Further literature reports were obtained from clinical experts. Randomised controlled trials, prospective cohort studies, cross-sectional studies and comparative registry studies were included if they compared interventions for the surgical management of abdominal injuries in patients with multiple and/or severe injuries. We considered patient-relevant clinical outcomes such as mortality, length of stay, and diagnostic test accuracy. Risk of bias was assessed using NICE 2012 checklists. The evidence was synthesised narratively, and expert consensus was used to develop recommendations and determine their strength.

RESULTS

Three studies were identified. The topics of these studies were nonoperative management in haemodynamically stable patients with isolated blunt hepatic (n = 1) or splenic injuries (n = 1) and selective angioembolisation (n = 1). None of the recommendations were modified, one new recommendation was developed, and one was deleted based on the updated evidence and expert consensus. All recommendations achieved strong consensus.

CONCLUSION

The following recommendations are made. All but one of the previous guideline recommendations were confirmed. The recommendation to perform diagnostic peritoneal lavage in exceptional cases was completely deleted. An additional recommendation was made and states that the performance of a diagnostic laparoscopy can be considered in haemodynamically stable patients with penetrating trauma when there is therapeutic uncertainty.