Investigation of
abdominal
injuries-DPL
NAME - DEEPTI MALA PANNA DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY
BATCH - 2018 LBRK GMC JAGDALPUR
ROLL NO. - 29
MBBS FINAL YEAR PART ll
Contents
● Investigation for abdominal injuries
● Diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL)
○ Introduction
○ Types
○ Indications and contraindications
○ Procedure
○ Interpretation
○ Complications
Introduction
Abdominal trauma is a major surgical emergency.
It is associated with other systemic injuries .
Although the more importance is given to other system
injuries like head, thorax and bones whereas, abdominal
injury is not addressed properly causing life -theatening
consequences.
Patient who have suffered abdominal injuries
can classified into following categories :
Haemodynamically ‘normal’- investigation can be completed
before treatment is planned.
Haemodynamically ‘stable’- investigation is more limited.it is
aimed at establishing the patient by non -
operative,angioembolisation or whether surgery.
Haemodynamically ‘unstable’- investigation need to be
suspended as immediate surgical correction of the bleeding is
required.
Investigation
Investigation are driven by the cardiovascular status of the
patient.
● Ultrasound abdomen (FAST)- it is rapid,non invasive,
portable bedside method of investigation ,focusing on
pericardium, splenic, hepatic and pelvic areas.
It is not reliable for bowel or penetrating injuries.
● Diagnostic peritoneal lavage - it is done in case of
physiologically unstable patient with blunt abdominal
injury (like with spinal injury, unconscious patient).
● Computed tomography scan- CT scan has become
the ‘gold standard’ for the intra- abdominal diagnosis of injury
in the stable patient.
CT Scan is sensitive for blood and individual organ injury as
well as for retroperitoneal injury.
Diagnostic laparoscopy
Diagnostic Laparoscopy- It is valuable in stable
patient with penetrating trauma.
Laparoscopy may be divided into :
Screening: used to exclude a penetrating injury with
breach of the peritoneum.
Diagnostic: finding evidence of injury to viscera
Therapeutic: used to repair the injury.
Complete blood count: Coagulation
studies, grouping, cross matching. fall in Hb is an
indication of on- going haemorrhage.
Serum amylase/lipase:
● May be elevated because of pancreatic ishaemia
due to hypotension
● Persistent elevation may be indication of
pancreatic injury.
Diagnostic peritoneal lavage
Introduction
Diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) is a test
used to assess the presence of blood, cells,
WBC,bile, bacteria, amylase,or contaminated
gastrointestinal contents in the abdominal.
It is done when FAST is not available.
Types of DPL
● Open technique (mini-laparotomy)- infraumbilical
skin incision and open peritoneum cavity to directly visualize
the peritoneum and incise it to insert catheter.
● Semi- open- Dissection down to the rectus fascia followed
by needle and catheter-over-wire technique into the
peritoneum cavity.
● Closed technique-technique- percutaneous needle
insertion into the peritoneum cavity followed by catheter-
over-wire.
(DPL) cont.
● Indications:
1. Unconscious trauma patient with signs of abdominal
injury.
2. Patient with suspected intra- abdominal injury and
equivocal physical findings.
3. Patients with multiple injuries and unexplained
shock.
4. Patients with spinal cord injury.
5. Intoxicated patients in whome abdominal injury is
suspected.
● Contraindications for DPL
Absolute Contraindications
● Obvious clinical indication
for laparotomy ( eg.gunshot
injury, penetrating injury
with shock, evisceration)
Relative Contraindications
● Availability of appropriate imaging(eg.
E- FAST,CT).
● Pelvic fracture
● Inability to place a urethral catheter
● Pregnancy
● Previous abdominal surgery
● Obesity
Procedure
Prepare the patient:
● Insert the nasogastric tube.
● Insert a urinary catheter.
● A cannula is inserted midline of the abdomen
2cm below the umbilicus angled 45° to the
skin and directly inferoposteriorly towards
the pelvis.
● The cannula is aspirated for blood ( ≥ 10ml is
+ve) and , following 1000 ml of warmed
Ringer's lactate solution is allowed to run into
the abdomen and is drained out via the same
route.
Interpretation
One of the criterias signifies positive lavage:
● 10 ml or more of gross blood
● RBC count more than 1,00,000/cumm
● WBC count more than 500/cumm
● Amylase level in the fluid more than 175 IU/dL
● Presence of bile , bacteria , food particles or foreign
body
Complications of DPL
● Infection.
● Injury to organs and/or blood vessels by needle
or catheter.
● Cutaneous bleeding and /or hematoma.
● Herniation of bowel through the incision.
diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL)

diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL)

  • 1.
    Investigation of abdominal injuries-DPL NAME -DEEPTI MALA PANNA DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY BATCH - 2018 LBRK GMC JAGDALPUR ROLL NO. - 29 MBBS FINAL YEAR PART ll
  • 2.
    Contents ● Investigation forabdominal injuries ● Diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) ○ Introduction ○ Types ○ Indications and contraindications ○ Procedure ○ Interpretation ○ Complications
  • 3.
    Introduction Abdominal trauma isa major surgical emergency. It is associated with other systemic injuries . Although the more importance is given to other system injuries like head, thorax and bones whereas, abdominal injury is not addressed properly causing life -theatening consequences.
  • 4.
    Patient who havesuffered abdominal injuries can classified into following categories : Haemodynamically ‘normal’- investigation can be completed before treatment is planned. Haemodynamically ‘stable’- investigation is more limited.it is aimed at establishing the patient by non - operative,angioembolisation or whether surgery. Haemodynamically ‘unstable’- investigation need to be suspended as immediate surgical correction of the bleeding is required.
  • 5.
    Investigation Investigation are drivenby the cardiovascular status of the patient. ● Ultrasound abdomen (FAST)- it is rapid,non invasive, portable bedside method of investigation ,focusing on pericardium, splenic, hepatic and pelvic areas. It is not reliable for bowel or penetrating injuries. ● Diagnostic peritoneal lavage - it is done in case of physiologically unstable patient with blunt abdominal injury (like with spinal injury, unconscious patient).
  • 6.
    ● Computed tomographyscan- CT scan has become the ‘gold standard’ for the intra- abdominal diagnosis of injury in the stable patient. CT Scan is sensitive for blood and individual organ injury as well as for retroperitoneal injury.
  • 7.
    Diagnostic laparoscopy Diagnostic Laparoscopy-It is valuable in stable patient with penetrating trauma. Laparoscopy may be divided into : Screening: used to exclude a penetrating injury with breach of the peritoneum. Diagnostic: finding evidence of injury to viscera Therapeutic: used to repair the injury.
  • 9.
    Complete blood count:Coagulation studies, grouping, cross matching. fall in Hb is an indication of on- going haemorrhage. Serum amylase/lipase: ● May be elevated because of pancreatic ishaemia due to hypotension ● Persistent elevation may be indication of pancreatic injury.
  • 11.
    Diagnostic peritoneal lavage Introduction Diagnosticperitoneal lavage (DPL) is a test used to assess the presence of blood, cells, WBC,bile, bacteria, amylase,or contaminated gastrointestinal contents in the abdominal. It is done when FAST is not available.
  • 12.
    Types of DPL ●Open technique (mini-laparotomy)- infraumbilical skin incision and open peritoneum cavity to directly visualize the peritoneum and incise it to insert catheter. ● Semi- open- Dissection down to the rectus fascia followed by needle and catheter-over-wire technique into the peritoneum cavity. ● Closed technique-technique- percutaneous needle insertion into the peritoneum cavity followed by catheter- over-wire.
  • 13.
    (DPL) cont. ● Indications: 1.Unconscious trauma patient with signs of abdominal injury. 2. Patient with suspected intra- abdominal injury and equivocal physical findings. 3. Patients with multiple injuries and unexplained shock. 4. Patients with spinal cord injury. 5. Intoxicated patients in whome abdominal injury is suspected.
  • 14.
    ● Contraindications forDPL Absolute Contraindications ● Obvious clinical indication for laparotomy ( eg.gunshot injury, penetrating injury with shock, evisceration) Relative Contraindications ● Availability of appropriate imaging(eg. E- FAST,CT). ● Pelvic fracture ● Inability to place a urethral catheter ● Pregnancy ● Previous abdominal surgery ● Obesity
  • 15.
    Procedure Prepare the patient: ●Insert the nasogastric tube. ● Insert a urinary catheter. ● A cannula is inserted midline of the abdomen 2cm below the umbilicus angled 45° to the skin and directly inferoposteriorly towards the pelvis. ● The cannula is aspirated for blood ( ≥ 10ml is +ve) and , following 1000 ml of warmed Ringer's lactate solution is allowed to run into the abdomen and is drained out via the same route.
  • 16.
    Interpretation One of thecriterias signifies positive lavage: ● 10 ml or more of gross blood ● RBC count more than 1,00,000/cumm ● WBC count more than 500/cumm ● Amylase level in the fluid more than 175 IU/dL ● Presence of bile , bacteria , food particles or foreign body
  • 18.
    Complications of DPL ●Infection. ● Injury to organs and/or blood vessels by needle or catheter. ● Cutaneous bleeding and /or hematoma. ● Herniation of bowel through the incision.