Laparoscopic surgery for trauma: the realm of therapeutic management

BackgroundThe use of laparoscopy in trauma is, in general, limited for diagnostic purposes. We aim to evaluate the therapeutic role of laparoscopic surgery in trauma patients.MethodsWe analyzed the National Trauma Data Bank (2007 to 2010) for all patients undergoing diagnostic laparoscopy. Patients undergoing a therapeutic laparoscopic surgical procedure were identified and tabulated. Mortality and hospital length of stay for patients with isolated abdominal injuries were compared between the open and laparoscopic groups.ResultsOf a total of 2,539,818 trauma visits in the National Trauma Data Bank, 4,755 patients underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy at 467 trauma centers. Of these, 916 (19.3%) patients underwent a therapeutic laparoscopic intervention. Common laparoscopic operations included diaphragm repair, bowel repair or resection, and splenectomy. Patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery had a significantly shorter length of stay than the open group (5 vs 6 days; P < .001).ConclusionTherapeutic laparoscopic surgery for trauma is feasible and may provide better outcomes.