Pitfalls of peritoneal lavage in blunt abdominal trauma

Peritoneal lavage is a sensitive detector of intra-abdominal injury following blunt trauma. The open method of diagnostic lavage is advocated, because it is associated with less morbidity. Although quantitative and qualitative methods are available to interpret lavage returns, the results, in some patients, do not correlate with the severity of injury found at laparotomy. Diaphragmatic and extraperitoneal injury are illusive to detection by peritoneal lavage. Despite the pitfalls of peritoneal lavage, we still recommend its use for all patients suspected of having an intra-abdominal injury.