Comparison of the Amount of Fluid Returned from the Diagnostic Peritoneal Lavage for the Diagnosis of Intra-abdominal Injury

Abstract

              It is still controversial about the appropriate volume of returned DPL fluid. A study was carried out in 30 adult patients with blunt or penetrating abdominal injury who underwent DPI, with 1 litre of crystalloid lavage to compare RBC counts in different volume of returned DPL fluid. RBC counts of the lavage fluid collected at 200 ml, 400 ml, 600 ml and 800 ml were compared using paired T-test. Mean RBC count of the lavage fluid collected at 200 ml was 12,469.13 cells/ml, at 400 ml was 13,792.77 cells/ml, at 600 mI was 17,082.13 cells/ml and at 800 ml was 20,168.57 cells/ml. Mean RBC counts of the lavage fluid at 200 ml, 400 ml and 600 ml were statistically different from mean RBC count at 800 ml. The RBC count of returned DPL fluid regularly increases as more fluid was recovered. One of the 30 patients had negative DPL at 200 ml and 400 ml but positive with increased amount of returned fluid. Using Chi-square test, we found that the volume of effluent fluid was not statistically different for the interpretation of the lavage fluid. However, we recommend collecting DPL fluid at least 600 ml to avoid false negative results.