A pseudo-dilemma: Are we over-diagnosing and over-treating traumatic splenic intraparenchymal pseudoaneurysms?

Out with the old, in with the new? The revised AAST grading schema better predicts splenic salvage but not splenectomy

BACKGROUND

The revised American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) organ injury scale (OIS) for splenic injury incorporates radiologic features but the implications of this are unknown. We hypothesized that the revised AAST-OIS would better predict outcomes.

METHODS

Patients with a blunt splenic injury admitted to a Level I trauma center were reviewed from 2016 to 2021. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for splenectomy were calculated for high-grade injuries (AAST-OIS grades IV-V) using both schemas.

RESULTS

Of the 852 patients analyzed, 48.5% were observed, 24.6% were embolized, and the remaining underwent operative intervention. The median AAST-OIS increased from II to III (p ​< ​0.01). Sensitivity (38.0% vs. 73.7%) and NPV (80.9% vs. 88.2%) for splenectomy increased for high-grade injuries but specificity (93.5% vs 70.1%) and PPV (67.5% vs 46.7%) decreased.

CONCLUSION

The revised AAST-OIS better predicted splenic salvage but is less accurate at predicting need for splenectomy.

Incidence of pseudoaneurysm after follow-up computed tomography for nonoperatively managed splenic injury: Systematic review

BACKGROUND

The aim of this systematic review was to assess the estimated incidence of pseudoaneurysm (PSA) with follow-up computed tomography (CT) for adult splenic injury with nonoperative management (NOM).

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, Central, CINAHL, Clinical Trials, and ICTRP databases between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2023. Quality assessment was performed using the Risk of Bias in Non-randomized Studies of Exposures (ROBINS-E) tool. Adult splenic injury patients who were initially managed with NOM and followed-up by protocolized CT were included. The primary outcome was the incidence of delayed PSA. Secondary outcome measures were delayed angiography and delayed splenectomy. Subgroup analyses were performed between NOM patients without initial splenic angioembolization (SAE) and NOM patients with initial SAE.

RESULTS

Twelve studies were enrolled, including 11 retrospective studies and one prospective study, with 1746 patients in total. The follow-up CT rate in the included patients was 94.9%. The estimated incidence of PSA was 14% (95% confidence interval (CI), 8%-21%). The estimated delayed angiography and delayed splenectomy incidence rates were 7% (95% CI, 4%-12%) and 2% (95% CI, 1%-6%), respectively. Subgroup analyses showed that the estimated PSA incidence was 12% in NOM patients without initial SAE (95% CI, 7%-20%) and was also 12% in NOM patients with SAE (95% CI, 5%-24%).

CONCLUSIONS

The estimated incidence of delayed PSA after follow-up CT for adult splenic injury with NOM was 14%. The estimated incidence of PSA in NOM with initial SAE was similar to that in NOM without initial SAE.

The prevalence of early contained vascular injury of spleen

Contained vascular injuries (CVI) of spleen include pseudoaneurysms (PSA) and arterio-venous fistulae (AV-fistulae), and their reported prevalence varies. Our purpose was to assess the prevalence of early splenic CVI seen on admission CT in patients with splenic trauma admitted to a single level 1 trauma center in 2013-2021, and its detection in different CT protocols. A retrospective, single-center longitudinal cohort study. Nine-year data (2013-2021) of all patients with suspected or manifest abdominal trauma were retrieved. All patients, > 15 years with an ICD code for splenic trauma (S36.0XX) were included. CT and angiographic examinations were identified. Reports and images were reviewed. Splenic CVI CT criterion was a focal collection of vascular contrast that decreases in attenuation with delayed imaging. Number of CVIs and treatment was based on medical records and/or available angioembolization data. Of 2805 patients with abdominal trauma, 313 patients (313/2805; 11.2%) fulfilled the study entry criteria. 256 patients (256/313; 81.8%) had a CT examination. Sixteen patients had splenectomy before CT, and the final study group included 240 patients (240/313; 76.7%). Median New Injury Severity Score (NISS) was 27 and 87.5% of patients had NISS > 15. Splenic CVI was found in 20 patients, which yields a prevalence of 8.3% (20/240; 95% CI 5.2-12.6%). In those cases with both late arterial and venous phase images available, CVI was seen in 14.5% of cases (18/124, 95% CI 8.6-22.0%). None of the patients with CVI died within 30 days of the injury. The prevalence of early splenic CVI in patients with a splenic trauma was 8.3-14.5% (95% CI 5.2-22.0%). Our data suggests that both arterial and venous phase are needed for CT diagnosis. The 30-day outcome in terms of mortality was good.