Critique of: Blunt splenic trauma: Splenectomy increases early infectious complications: A prospective multicenter study

The study by Demetriades et al., evaluating the effect of different methods of splenic injury management on early infectious complications is both timely and offers new insight into the management of trauma patients. It addresses a common injury with a debatable management approach.

This is a prospective, multicenter study performed over a 22-month period (March 2009–December 2010). All patients with blunt splenic injury admitted to three Level I trauma centers (two centers in USA and one in South Africa) were studied. Patients were categorized according to the final management of their splenic injury into two major groups: splenectomy or splenic preservation. Five outcome measures were evaluated; the development of early intra-abdominal abscess, wound infection, pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and septicemia. All were compared using standard statistical tools.