These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.


Pubmed for Handhelds

PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS

Search MEDLINE/PubMed

  • Title: Triple-contrast CT scans in penetrating back and flank trauma.
    Author: Himmelman RG, Martin M, Gilkey S, Barrett JA.
    Journal: J Trauma; 1991 Jun; 31(6):852-5. PubMed ID: 2056551.
    Abstract:
    Triple-contrast CT scanning (3-CT) is a diagnostic modality that has been introduced recently for the work-up of patients with penetrating injuries to the back or flank. Triple-contrast CT consists of giving oral, intravenous (IV), and rectal contrast medium. Our hypothesis was that this test is an accurate predictor of the absence of a retroperitoneal injury requiring surgical repair. We prospectively enrolled 88 clinically stable patients who sustained penetrating wounds to the back or flank. Seventy-eight received a diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) before 3-CT. The scans were classified according to the risk of a retroperitoneal injury requiring repair. Patients who did not go to the operating room (OR) were observed for 48 hours. Of 88 patients entered, nine had high-risk scans, five of these patients underwent exploratory laparotomy, two of whom had significant injuries. Seventy-nine patients had non-high-risk scans. Seventy-seven were observed without complication, and two were explored for positive DPL, with no significant lesion found. The negative predictive value of a low- or moderate-risk 3-CT scan is 100% +/- 11%.
    [Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]