[Diagnosis and indications for surgery after blunt abdominal trauma (author's transl)]

Diagnosis aiming at early operation is the central problem after blunt abdominal trauma. Peritoneal lavage represents an important progress in diagnostic tests but it is fully informative only if the technical details (e.g. infusion of not less than 1,000 ml) are observed. Experience with 129 cases proved it to be a simple procedure with a low complication rate which can be performed also in difficult circumstances and has a high accuracy (more than 95%). It can be used also in smaller clinics with only limited diagnostic facilities.