Laparoscopy Versus Clinical Follow up to Detect Diaphragm Injury

University of Cape Town (UCT)

Status

Completed

Conditions

Diaphragm Injury

Treatments

Other: Clinical follow up

Procedure: Laparoscopy

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT01044550

mlhgid004

Details and patient eligibility

About

Title: A randomized prospective study comparing non operative management with laparoscopic treatment in patients with a diaphragm injury following left thoracoabdominal stab wounds.

Aim of the Study: The aim of this study is to access the clinical outcome of potential occult diaphragm injuries in a group of patients presenting at the Groote Schuur trauma centre with left sided thoracoabdominal stab wounds, if an expectant non operative management course is taken.

Objects of the Study: To obtain the above mentioned aim the study will undertake;

to do laparoscopy on a group of randomly selected patients with left thoracoabdominal stab wounds to obtain the incidence of occult diaphragm injury.
to assess the incidence and clinical outcome of delayed diaphragm visceral herniation in the study group.

Enrollment

66 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 60 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Hemodynamically stable patients
Patients with penetrating stab wounds bounded by
Superiorly the 4th intercostal space
Lateral the tip of the left scapula
Inferior by the left costal margin
Medially by the sternum
Signed informed consent

Exclusion criteria

Hemodynamically unstable patients
Previous penetrating injury to the area mentioned under inclusion criteria
Patients requiring early surgical exploration for injuries other than diaphragm injuries
If a diaphragm injury is detected on imaging
A positive pregnancy test