Related Experiment Videos
Perihepatic packing of major liver injuries: complications and mortality
D M Caruso1, F D Battistella, J T Owings
1Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Health System, Sacramento 95817-2214, USA.
Hypothesis:
Perihepatic packs used to control hemorrhage after liver injury increase the risk of complications and this risk increases the longer packs are left in place.
Design:
Retrospective case series.
Setting:
University level I trauma center.
Patients:
Consecutive patients with hepatic injury.
Main Outcome Measures:
Liver-related complications (biliary leak and abscess), rebleeding, and mortality.
Results:
One hundred twenty-nine of 804 patients with liver injuries were treated with perihepatic packing. Of the 69 who survived more than 24 hours, 75% lived to hospital discharge. Mortality rates were 14% and 30% in patients with and without liver complications, respectively (P = .23). Liver complication rates were similar (P = .83) when packs were removed within 36 hours (early [33%]) or between 36 and 72 hours (late [29%]) after they were placed; the rebleeding rate was greater in the early group (21% vs 4%; P<.001).
Conclusions:
Liver complications associated with perihepatic packing did not affect survival. Removing liver packs 36 to 72 hours after placement reduced the risk of rebleeding without increasing the risk of liver-related complications.