1 Sep 2019Article
Management of blunt hepatic and splenic injuries (grade ≤ III) in patients receiving antithrombotic therapy
Georgios Liagkos 1Charalampos Spyropoulos 2Christos Chouliaras 3Gerasimos Tsourouflis 3Gregory Kouraklis 3Constantine Vagianos 4
Affiliations
Article Info
1 Department of Surgery, Metropolitan Hospital, Neo Faliro, Athens, Greece ; 1st Department of Surgery, Nikaia General Hospital, Nikaia, Piraeus, Greece
2 3nd Department of Surgery, Metropolitan General Hospital, Holargos, Athens, Greece
3 1st Department of Surgery, Nikaia General Hospital, Nikaia, Piraeus, Greece
4 2nd Propedeutic Department of Surgery, Laikon Hospital, National & Kapodestrian University of Athens, Greece
Ann. Ital. Chir., 2019, 90(5), 421-426;
Published: 1 Sep 2019
Copyright © 2019 Annali Italiani di Chirurgia
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Non-operative management (NOM) may be particularly challenging in patients receiving synchronous antithrombotic therapy (AT). The current study examined the feasibility of NOM in patients under AT who sustained blunt splenic or hepatic injuries. METHODS: We analyzed the results of a 5-year (2010-2014) pre-decided treatment protocol, including 15 patients under AT who were treated for splenic and/or hepatic injuries at our institution. The antithrombotic therapy consisted of acenocoumarol 4 mg, acetylsalicylic acid 100 mg and clopidogrel 75 mg. Vitamin K (Vit K), Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) and Prothrombin Complex Concentrate (PCC) were transfused to patients receiving anticoagulant therapy, while platelets (PLTs) were given to patients under antiplatelet therapy if their level was excessively low. The organ injury grading scale, injury severity score (ISS), the need for blood transfusion and intensive care unit (ICU)/ high dependency unit (HDU) admission, morbidity, mortality and duration of hospital stay were also recorded. RESULTS: Ten patients fulfilled the criteria for NOM and were treated accordingly. No conversion to operative management (OM) was required (success rate 100%). Five patients were managed surgically due to hemodynamic instability and/or signs of peritonitis. Reversal of AT was attempted in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: Hemodynamically stable patients under AT with blunt hepatic or splenic injuries (grade ≤ III) and no signs of peritonitis, may be good candidates for NOM, despite their bleeding tendency. The type of AT does not seem to influence the final outcome. Reversal of AT should be stratified individually.
Keywords
- Antithrombotic therapy
- Hemodynamic stability
- Non-operative management