Splenic Trauma
VBMC TRAUMA CARE SERVICES GUIDELINE
Splenic/Spleen Trauma
Approximately 39,000 adults are
admitted to the hospital every year with blunt splenic injury (BSI).1 Splenectomy
was the traditional treatment of choice, however, increased risk of infectious
complications led to the development of non-operative management (NOM)
strategies. NOM has become the treatment of choice in
hemodynamically normal patients.2 Only 10% of patients
with BSI will be treated with urgent splenectomy,1 and the
development of NOM strategies for BSI has led to decreased ICU and total
hospital lengths of stay, reduced resource use, and reduced hospital costs
without worsening of survival.3,4
Splenic angioembolization (SAE) has
become an adjunct in NOM.2 Use of SAE in both the
immediate setting as well as in those failing NOM has reduced the need for
operation and has increased splenic salvage rates.5 Protocols
described in the literature use SAE for patients with signs indicating high
risk of NOM failure. These signs include AAST grades III-V,
traumatic pseudoaneurysm, moderate hemoperitoneum, evidence of ongoing splenic
bleeding requiring blood transfusion, arteriovenous fistula, and evidence of
active extravasation suggested by contrast blush on CT.4,5,6,7,8,9
All blunt trauma patients undergo
workup per the ATLS algorithm, which includes evaluation of hemodynamics,
abdominal exam and FAST. If the patient is unstable with a positive
FAST, or is stable but has peritonitis on exam, the patient should be taken
emergently to the operating room for celiotomy. If the patient is
unstable but has a negative FAST, the patient should be resuscitated and other
causes of shock investigated. Stable patients and those patients who
stabilize after resuscitation should undergo a CT of the abdomen and pelvis
with IV contrast as part of the trauma imaging protocol. Patients
with BSI and without another indication for celiotomy are candidates for NOM of
BSI.
In evaluating a patient for NOM of
BSI, the AAST injury grade should be determined (See Table 1). Grade
I and II injuries do not involve devascularization of the spleen, and therefore
operative intervention and SAE are rarely necessary. AAST and EAST
surveys indicate that more than 85% of respondents treat these injuries with
observation only.7,9 A minority (32.3%) of respondents to
the EAST survey admitted patients with grade I to a continuously monitored bed,
while a majority (75%) of admitted patients with grade II injuries to a
monitored bed.9 Patients with grade I or II BSI should
therefore be admitted at least for observation, to a monitored or non-monitored
bed at the discretion of the attending trauma surgeon, and have serial
abdominal exams and hemograms drawn at least every 12 hours.
Grade III BSI or greater, involve some
form of splenic vascular disruption: Grade III injuries involve laceration of
the trabecular vessels; grade IV injuries, laceration of the segmental vessels
with devascularization of >25% of the spleen; grade V, laceration of hilar
vessels and near complete devascularization of the spleen. The
available data suggests that NOM strategies are more successful in patients
with grade III or IV injuries, while patients with grade V injuries are
successfully managed nonoperatively in less than 10% of cases.10 Therefore,
stable patients with grade V splenic injuries who do not have other indications
for operation should be strongly considered for angiography based on grade
alone.
Fu et al., in a series published in
2010 showed that a significant majority of patients with BSI successfully
treated by SAE had either grade III or IV injuries.8 Therefore,
implementation of SAE should focus on this patient population, and stable
patients with grade III or IV BSI should be evaluated for candidacy for
SAE. Indications for angiography include evidence of traumatic
pseudoaneurysm, arteriovenous fistula, moderate (>1000cc) hemoperitoneum, or
evidence of a vascular “blush” on CT scan. The clinical implications
of a vascular blush are controversial, because a high rate of angiograms in
patients with vascular blushes will often show no active
bleeds. However, Fu et al. has published data that suggest patients
with intraperitoneal contrast extravasation (CE) will exhibit hemodynamic
instability at a significantly higher rate than patients with intraparenchymal
CE.8 Therefore, patients with intraperitoneal CE should
undergo SAE. Patients with intraparenchymal CE can undergo either
SAE or observation, at the discretion of the trauma and interventional
radiology attendings.
Patients undergoing observation should
be admitted to a level of care commensurate with the patient’s complete injury
burden. For patients with isolated BSI, this should be related to
grade. Patients with grade I or II injuries should be admitted for
observation, with monitoring status left to the discretion of the attending
trauma surgeon. Patients with grade III injuries and greater are at
higher risk of failure, and therefore should be admitted to a continuously
monitored environment, with strong consideration for ICU admission for grade IV
or V injuries. The literature does not provide evidence for
frequency of hemoglobin checks, but these should initially be done at least
every 12 hours, with more frequent draws for higher grade injuries. Serial
abdominal exams should also be performed, with development of peritonitis
prompting emergent operative intervention given a high rate of hollow viscus
injury in patients with isolated solid organ injury on CT scan.9 Chemical
VTE prophylaxis should not be held longer than 48 hours.11
In addition to development of
peritonitis, signs of NOM failure include significant drop in hemoglobin
(>4g decrease) with need for transfusion and recurrent hypotension despite
adequate resuscitation. Patients who have failed NOM should undergo
SAE. Patients who are too unstable to undergo angiography should
proceed emergently to the operating room for celiotomy. Patients who
have previously undergone SAE and then fail NOM should also undergo celiotomy.
1.) Zarzaur, et al. The splenic
injury outcomes trial: An American association for the surgery of trauma
multi-institutional study. J Trauma Acute Care Surg.
2015;79:335-342.
2.) Cooney, et al. Limitations
of splenic angioembolization in treating blunt splenic injury. J Trauma.
2005;59:926-932.
3.) Izu, et al. Impact of
splenic injury guidelines on hospital stay and charges in patients with
isolated splenic injury (2009). Surgery. 2009;146:787-93.
4.) Hsieh, et al. non-operative
management attempted for selective high grade blunt hepatosplenic trauma is a
feasible strategy. World J Emerg Surg. 2014;9:51
5.) Sabe, et al. The effects of
splenic artery embolization on nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury:
A 16-year experience (2009). J Trauma. 2009;67:565-572
6.) Fata, et al. A
survey of EAST member practices in blunt splenic injury: A description of
current trends and opportunities for improvement. J Trauma.
2005;59:836-842.
7.) Zarzaur, et al. A
survey of American association for the surgery of trauma member practices in
the management of blunt splenic injury. J Trauma.
2011;70:1026-1031.
8.) Fu CY, et al. Evaluation of
need for operative intervention in blunt splenic injury: intraperitoneal
contrast extravasation has an increased probability of requiring operative
intervention. World J Surg. 2010;34:2745-2751
9.) Stassen, et al. Selective
nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury: an eastern association for the
surgery of trauma practice management guideline. J Trauma Acute Care
Surg. 2012;73:S294-S300.
10.) Velmahos, et al. Management of the most severely injured spleen: A multicenter study of the research consortium of New England Centers for Trauma (ReCONECT). Arch Surg. 2010;145(5):456-460
11.) Murphy, et al. Very
early initiation of chemical venous thromboembolism prophylaxis after blunt
solid organ injury is safe. Can J Surg. 2016;59(2):
118-122
EAST Guidelines-Blunt Spleen Injury: Non-operative Treatment
Level 1 recommendation:
· Patients who have diffuse peritonitis or who are hemodynamically unstable after blunt abdominal trauma should be taken urgently for laparotomy.
Level 2 recommendations:
· A
routine laparotomy is not indicated in the hemodynamically stable patient
without peritonitis presenting with an isolated splenic injury
· The
severity of splenic injury (as suggested by CT grade or degree of
hemoperitoneum), neurologic status, age > 55, and/or the presence of
associated injuries are not contraindications to a trial of nonoperative
management in a hemodynamically stable patient.
· In
the hemodynamically normal blunt abdominal trauma patient without peritonitis,
an abdominal CT scan with IV contrast should be performed to identify and
assess the severity of injury to the spleen
· Angiography
should be considered for patients with AAST grade of greater than III injuries,
presence of a contrast blush, moderate hemoperitoneum, or evidence of ongoing
splenic bleeding.
· Nonoperative management of splenic injuries should only be considered in an environment that provides capabilities for monitoring serial clinical evaluations, and an operating room available for urgent laparotomy.
Level 3 recommendations:
· After
blunt splenic injury, clinical factors such as a persistent systemic
inflammatory response, increasing/persistent abdominal pain, or an otherwise
unexplained drop in Hgb should dictate the frequency of and need for follow-up
imaging for a patient with blunt splenic injury.
· Contrast
blush on CT scan alone is not an absolute indication for an operation or
angiographic intervention. Factors such as patient age, grade of
injury, and presence of hypotension need to be considered in the clinical
management of these patients.
· Angiography
may be used either as an adjunct to nonoperative management for patients who
are thought to be at high risk for delayed bleeding or as an investigative tool
to identify vascular abnormalities such as pseudoaneurysms that pose a risk for
delayed hemorrhage.
· Pharmacologic
prophylaxis to prevent venous thromboembolism can be used for patients with
isolated blunt splenic injuries without increasing the failure rate of
nonoperative management, although the optimal timing of safe initiation has not
been determined.
Blunt splenic injury, selective
nonoperative management of, EAST. J Trauma 2012. 73(5): S294-S300.
Post-Splenectomy Vaccines
Patients who have had splenectomy for
trauma should be properly immunized (see algorithm) but should also receive
information about overwhelming post-splenectomy infection (OPSI). They should
be informed that OPSI is rare (0.2-0.4%/year). The best way to prevent OPSI is
to be immunized. Warning signs of OPSI include symptoms of sepsis
(acute illness, fever, lethargy) and these symptoms should prompt immediate medical
care, at which time they must inform the doctor or provider that they ‘do not
have a spleen’.
Post-splenectomy patients should be:
1. Immunized according
to the guideline
2. Provided teaching about
OPSI
3. Provided
an immunization card to use as their own reminder and an
indicator of their asplenic state should they need immediate medical care for
symptoms of OPSI
4. Scheduled
for a ‘vaccine-only nurse visit’ in the clinic for follow-up
immunization, 8 weeks to 2 months after their initial immunization. This
visit is in addition to the postop visit.
5. Provided
information about ‘vaccine-only nurse visit’ follow-up in their discharge
instructions
6. Educated again on OPSI and
immunizations in their post-op visit
NOTE IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING
ANGIOEMBOLIZATION: EAST conditionally
recommends AGAINST routine post-splenectomy vaccinations in adult trauma
patients who have undergone angioembolization for splenic injury (Freeman,
Injury 2022).
Post-splenectomy/functional asplenia vaccines
Initial (within 14d splenectomy/functional asplenia) |
Dose |
Route |
Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine, 13-valent (PCV13, Prevar-13) |
0.5mL |
IM |
Quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (menACWY, Menactra or Menveo) |
0.5mL |
IM |
Meningococcal group B vaccine (MenB, Bexsero) |
0.5mL |
IM |
Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine (ActHIB, Hiberix, PedvaxHIB) |
0.5mL |
IM |
≥8 weeks after initial (clinic follow-up) |
Dose |
Route |
Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, 23-valent (PPSV23, Pneumovax 23) |
0.5mL |
IM |
Quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (menACWY, Menactra or Menveo) |
0.5mL |
IM |
Meningococcal group B vaccine (MenB, Bexsero) |
0.5mL |
IM |
Every 5 years thereafter |
Dose |
Route |
Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, 23-valent (PPSV23, Pneumovax 23) |
0.5mL |
IM |
Quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine (menACWY, Menactra or Menveo) |
0.5mL |
IM |
Meningococcal group B vaccine (MenB, Bexsero) |
0.5mL |
IM |
Exceptions*:
·Age<18
·Previous known vaccine administration
with any of the above vaccines prior to splenectomy or functional asplenia
*call PharmD to assist with
determining necessary vaccines to administer
References
1. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6422a3.htm
2. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/adult/adult-schedule-bw.pdf
3. http://www.surgicalcriticalcare.net/Guidelines/post%20splenectomy%20vaccines%202015.pdf 4. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/65/wr/mm6504a5.htm <Accessed
12 October 2016> 5. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/recs-by-date.html <Accessed
12 October 2016>
1.
Jennifer J. Freeman, Brian K.
Yorkgitis, Krista Haines, Deepika Koganti, Nimitt Patel, Rebecca Maine, William
Chiu, Thai L. Tran, John J. Como, George Kasotakis, Vaccination After Spleen
Embolization: A practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for
the Surgery of Trauma, Injury, 2022, ISSN 0020-1383,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.injury.2022.08.006.