Can unnecessary operations for abdominal stab would be safely reduced? a review of 255 patients
Sriussadaporn, S.; Tanphiphat, C.; Poomsuwan, P.
Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand 76(8): 448-454
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0125-2208 PMID: 7964247 Document Number: 417139
Records of 255 patients who underwent laparotomies for stab wounds to the abdomen and lower chest were reviewed. Criteria for laparotomy were clinical and followed the conventional lines. Seventy-six patients (30%) were classified as having had an unnecessary laparotomy. Univariate analysis with the Chi-square test revealed 8 variables which differed significantly between the necessary and unnecessary laparotomy groups. Further stepwise discriminant analysis demonstrated 4 variables which had independent significance; they are the type of injury, generalized abdominal tenderness, haemoperitoneum and active intraabdominal bleeding. A mathematical model utilizing these 4 variables may be able to predict the need for laparotomy more accurately than utilizing any single variable. A prospective study is needed to test this hypothesis.