Author/Editor		Gadžijev, E; Wahl, M; Grkman, J
Title		Liver trauma-trends in treatment
Type		članek
Source		Croat J Gastroenterol Hepatol
Vol. and No.		Letnik 2, št. 4
Publication year		1993
Volume		str. 131-5
Language		eng
Abstract		Liver trauma remains a serious surgical problem, despite improvements in the diagnosis, intensive care and monitoring, and in the knowledge about functional liver anatomy and physiology, as well as in surgical tecniques. Its frequency has been increasing worldwide, white the mortality rate has not decreased significantly since the Second World War; in case of severe liver trauma, it amounts even to 60 percent - 100 percent. Symptoms and signs in patients with liver trauma may vary considerably and depend on the extend and severity of liver trauma, as well as on the number and nature of concomitant injuries. Associated injuries are the main cause of death and of serious complications in patients with less severe liver domage. Patients with severe forms of liver trauma usually urgent resuscitation, assessment, intensive care therapy and an appropriate decision as to whether to treat them conservatively or surgically. The extent of diagnosis is determined and possibly limited by the patient's general condition and availability of necessary equipment and trained staff. There seems to be a general trend in the management of liver trauma towards conservative treatment of hemodynamically stable patients with less severe trauma, and less aggressive surgical methods (temporary hot packs, sutures, clips, coagulation) for low-level trauma, and also towards the promotion of temporary perihepatic packing instead of urgent resection for major trauma and in patients whose general condition requires immediate hemostasis.
Descriptors		LIVER HEMOSTASIS, SURGICAL LIVER DISEASES DRAINAGE