Role of Serial Phlebotomy in the Management of Blunt Solid Organ Injury in Adults

The management of blunt spleen and liver trauma has become increasingly nonoperative. There is no consensus on timing or duration of serial hemoglobin and hematocrit monitoring in this patient population.

This study examined the clinical utility of serial hemoglobin and hematocrit monitoring. We hypothesized that most interventions occur early in the hospital course, based on hemodynamic instability or physical examination findings rather than serial monitoring.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adult trauma patients with blunt spleen or liver injury from November 2014 through June 2019 at our Level II trauma center. Interventions were classified as no intervention, surgical intervention, angioembolization, or packed red blood cell transfusion. Demographics, length of stay, total blood draws, laboratory values, and clinical triggers preceding intervention were reviewed.

A total of 143 patients were studied, of whom 73 (51%) received no intervention, 47 (33%) received an intervention within 4 hr of presentation, and 23 (16%) had interventions beyond 4 hr. Of these 23 patients, 13 received an intervention based on phlebotomy results alone. Most of these patients (n = 12, 92%) received blood transfusion without further intervention. Only one patient underwent operative intervention based on serial hemoglobin results on hospital day 2.

The majority of patients with these injury patterns either require no intervention or declare themselves promptly after arrival. Serial phlebotomy after initial triage and intervention may add little value in the management of blunt solid organ injury.