Traumatic liver injuries in the elderly as compared to younger adults

Comparing elderly (> 55 years) and younger (< 55 and > 15 years) traumatic liver injury patients, we evaluated differences in the need for operative intervention as well as transfusion requirements in those treated non-operatively.

This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with liver trauma. The analyses evaluated overall adjusted differences in treatment option and packed red blood utilization in those treated non-operatively by age group.

841 patients were included. 83 were elderly. Operative management occurred in 13% and 12% of the younger adults and elderly patients, respectively. After adjustment, age group was not significantly associated with treatment option. In the non-operative setting, elderly patients had twice the red blood cell transfusion requirement as compared to younger adults.

Age does not play a role in considering the need for surgical intervention in patients with liver trauma. However, the geriatric population has twice the transfusion requirement in the non-operative setting.