Exploratory Laparotomy and Splenectomy for Ruptured Spleen Following Blunt Force Trauma
Sebastian K. Chung, MD¹; Ashley Suah, MD²; Daven Patel, MD, MPH²; Nadim Michael Hafez, MD²; Brian Williams, MD^2
1University of Massachusetts Medical School
²UChicago Medicine

The spleen is highly vascular, is the largest secondary lymphoid organ, and is the most commonly injured organ in the setting of blunt abdominal trauma. Patients may present asymptomatically or with abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, or signs of hemodynamic instability. Although many splenic injuries caused by blunt abdominal trauma may be managed conservatively, free intra-abdominal fluid with hemodynamic instability warrant surgical management in the form of exploratory laparotomy and splenectomy.

This video report demonstrates the management of a patient who was assaulted, sustaining blunt abdominal trauma and a hemodynamically significant grade IV splenic laceration. An exploratory laparotomy and splenectomy were performed.