Can unnecessary operations for abdominal stab would be safely reduced? A review of 255 patients.

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Date
1993-08-01
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Abstract
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.
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Chotmaihet Thangphaet.
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Citation
Sriussadaporn S, Tanphiphat C, Poomsuwan P. Can unnecessary operations for abdominal stab would be safely reduced? A review of 255 patients. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand. 1993 Aug; 76(8): 448-54