# Prevalence, characteristics and treatment of concomitant injury to liver and spleen with vascular injury after blunt abdominal trauma

## TL;DR

This study examines how often liver and spleen injuries occur together with active bleeding after abdominal trauma, and finds that combined injuries are rare but more severe.

## Contribution

The study provides new insights into the prevalence and management of concomitant liver and spleen injuries with active bleeding following blunt abdominal trauma.

## Key findings

- Concomitant liver and spleen injury occurs in 1.7% of abdominal trauma cases.
- Active bleeding is more common in spleen injuries (17.9%) than liver injuries (5.8%).
- Combined injuries are associated with higher injury severity scores and slightly increased mortality.

## Abstract

Our purpose was to assess the prevalence of liver injuries as well as concomitant injuries to the liver and spleen in patients with blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma, and to determine the prevalence, management and outcome of active bleeding and contained vascular injuries (CVI; pseudoaneurysm/AV-fistula) seen on admission CT. A retrospective, single-center, longitudinal cohort study with nine-year data (2013–2021) of all ≥ 15-year-old patients with severe blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma and an ICD code for liver and/or splenic trauma. CT examinations were identified. Radiology, medical reports and images were reviewed and only patients with an adequate admission CT were included in the final study group. Of 2805 patients with abdominal trauma (71% males), 409 patients (14.6%) had a liver injury, and 329 had a CT on admission (329/409; 80.4%). 313 patients (11.2%) had a splenic injury and 262 had a CT (262/313; 83.7%). Of these, 65 patients or 2.3% (65/2805) had injury to both organs, with 49 patients with CT (49/65; 75.4%), combined group (CG) (79% males). The median (range) ISS was 21 (4–75) for single organ injury patients and 34 (9–75) for patients with both organs injured (p < 0.0001). Active liver or splenic bleeding was seen in 5.8% and 17.9%, respectively. In CG, 11 (11/49; 22.4%) patients had active bleeding. Of these, two patients had active bleeing in both organs (4.1%). Liver patients with active bleeding had significantly higher ISS (p = 0.025) than those without. In CG, ISS did not differ significantly between patients with and without active bleeding (p = 0.073), however, it tended to be higher in those with active bleeding. Most liver injuries with active bleeding were treated non-operatively (12/19; 63.2%). An active bleeding was more common in spleen than in liver patients; odds ratio (OR) (95% CI) 3.57 (2.04–6.25), p < 0.0001. A CVI was more common in splenic compared with liver injuries, OR 6.71 (95% CI; 2.27–19.9, p < 0.0001). Active bleeding was more common in CG than in single organ injury patients; OR 3.67 (1.73–7.79), p < 0.0016. 30-day survival rate did not differ between patients with or without active bleeding, but was slightly lower in CG compared with only liver injury (89.8% vs. 93.7%, p = 0.36). In conclusion the prevalence of liver injury in abdominal trauma seen on admission CT was 11.7% of all patients with blunt or penetrating abdominal trauma, and concomitant splenic and liver injury was seen in 1.7%. Non-operative management was applied in almost two thirds of patients with liver injuries. Active bleeding was seen in 5.8% of liver, 17.9% of splenic and 22.4% of CG patients. ISS was doubled in CG compared with single organ injury patients. Active bleeding was more common in CG, and CG had slightly increased mortality rate compared with single organ injury patients.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-14113-w.