Early mobilization of patients with non-operative liver and spleen injuries is safe and cost effective

There is no standard protocol for the management of non-operative liver or spleen injuries (LSI). In 2011, our institution changed the non-operative management (NOM) protocol of LSI from prolonged bed rest (PBR) to early mobilization (EM). We aim to show that EM safely decreases length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, and cost.

We conducted a retrospective review in which non-operative LSI patients observed PBR from January 2008 through July 2011 and were mobilized early from August 2011 through December 2014. Endpoints assessed were length of bed rest, hospital LOS, ICU LOS, failure of NOM, cost, angiography/embolization, and mortality.

There were a total of 184 patients with LSI who met study criteria and were not excluded. 77 patients utilized PBR between 2008 and 2011 and 107 followed EM protocol between 2011 and 2014. There was no significant difference in the male to female ratio, age, ISS, anticoagulant use, or MOI. Both groups had similar injury profiles. PBR included 34 liver injuries, 45 splenic injuries and two patients with both. EM included 63 liver injuries, 55 splenic injuries and 11 patients with both (for liver injury p = 0.053, for splenic injury p = 0.37, and for combined p = 0.08). LOS and cost were significantly decreased in the EM cohort. LOS was shortened by 1.07 days (p = 0.005) and cost of hospitalization was reduced by $7077 (p = 0.046). There was no difference in NOM failure, angiography/embolization, or mortality.

EM in non-operative LSI is safe and cost-effective. It results in decreased LOS and cost without increasing failure of NOM, angiography, embolization, or mortality.