Critical Analysis of the Results in the Management of Penetrating Abdominal Trauma in the Past Fifteen Years. Do we Need to Change the Protocol?

Penetrating abdominal trauma (PAT) incidence varies between 3,1-12,8% and it comprises a wide range of injuries with varying patterns on diagnostic imaging. Last guidelines published in 2014 recommend the use of FAST and CXR as the Gold Standard method for evaluating. Computed Tomography (CT) is widely used in stable patients with PAT and it requires intravenous contrast and patient irradiation, leading to additional costs to healthcare services. This study aims to assess the management of PAT in our institution and with its results review the actual protocol.

A retrospective unicentric study will be conducted on a prospective database of stab wounds at the Department of General Surgery of Hospital del Mar over a 15-year period. The normality of the distribution of quantitative variables will be assessed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Comparison between qualitative variable groups will be performed using the Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test when appropriate, and non-parametric tests like the Mann-Whitney U test will be used to evaluate the significance of differences in means of quantitative variables. The odds ratios (OR) of predictor variables with outcome variables will be determined.