Nonoperative management of renal stab wounds

A prospective clinical study of 54 patients with stab wounds and hematuria was conducted to evaluate the safety of selective nonoperative management compared to mandatory surgical exploration of these patients. In the absence of signs of severe blood loss, associated intra-abdominal injury or major abnormality on the excretory urogram patients were randomized to undergo mandatory surgery (group 1) or nonoperative management (group 2). Patients with signs of severe blood loss, associated intra-abdominal injury or gross abnormality on excretory urography were selected for an operation (group 3). The rate of probably needless operations (defined as minor renal injury without associated intra-abdominal lacerations) was 78 per cent in group 1 and 0 per cent in group 3. Pulmonary complications occurred in 33 per cent of the patients in group 1, 4 per cent in group 2 and 38 per cent in group 3. Despite an operation delayed renal hemorrhage occurred in 1 patient (5 per cent) in group 1 and 2 (15 per cent) in group 3, and resulted in nephrectomy in 2 of these patients. No instance of secondary hemorrhage occurred in group 2 patients. The mean length of hospitalization was 9, 5 and 11 days in groups 1 to 3, respectively. Our results indicate that the selective nonoperative management of patients with renal stab wounds can lead to a decrease in the rate of unnecessary operations, postoperative complications and length of hospitalization compared to a policy of mandatory surgical intervention.