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Published in: Surgery Today 7/2015

01-07-2015 | Original Article

The severity of liver injury following blunt trauma does not correlate with the number of fractured ribs: an analysis of a national trauma registry database

Authors: Forat Swaid, Kobi Peleg, Ricardo Alfici, Oded Olsha, Igor Jeroukhimov, Adi Givon, Boris Kessel, Israel Trauma Group

Published in: Surgery Today | Issue 7/2015

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Abstract

Purpose

Rib fractures are a marker of severe injury, predicting a higher incidence of associated injuries. The purpose of this study was to assess whether an increasing number of rib fractures predicts the severity of liver injury in blunt trauma patients.

Methods

We performed a retrospective cohort study involving blunt trauma patients with concomitant liver injuries and rib fractures who were registered in a national trauma registry.

Results

Of 57,130 patients with blunt torso injuries, 14,651 patients sustained rib fractures, and 2,899 patients suffered liver injuries. Concomitant liver injury occurred in 1,087 of the patients with rib fractures (7.4 %), while 1,812 patients sustained liver injury without rib fractures (4.3 %). The presence of six or more rib fractures predicted a higher incidence of liver injury. Among the patients with liver injury, those with concomitant rib fractures had a higher Injury Severity Score (ISS), but similar mortality rates. Among the patients with concomitant rib fractures and liver injury, there was no relationship between the number of fractured ribs and the severity of the liver injury.

Conclusions

Although the presence of rib fractures was associated with an increased probability of liver injury in patients with blunt torso trauma, there is no relationship between the number of fractured ribs and the severity of liver injury.
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Metadata
Title
The severity of liver injury following blunt trauma does not correlate with the number of fractured ribs: an analysis of a national trauma registry database
Authors
Forat Swaid
Kobi Peleg
Ricardo Alfici
Oded Olsha
Igor Jeroukhimov
Adi Givon
Boris Kessel
Israel Trauma Group
Publication date
01-07-2015
Publisher
Springer Japan
Published in
Surgery Today / Issue 7/2015
Print ISSN: 0941-1291
Electronic ISSN: 1436-2813
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00595-014-0975-4

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