Sensitivity, Specificity and Accuracy of Ultrasonography Performed by Trainee Surgeons for the Initial Assessment and Monitoring of Blunt Abdominal Trauma

Abstract

Third year residents in surgery performed ultrasonography on fifty consecutive patients with suspected blunt injury to abdomen. Most common mechanism of blunt injury to abdomen was road traffic accidents. Most of the Patients were males between the age of 10-70 years. After taking history and performing structured clinical examination, certain laboratory investigations were done for every patient. Ultrasonography was then performed to detect free intraperitoneal fluid or solid organ injuries and status of urinary bladder, diaphragm and pancreas. We found ultrasonography 89.28% sensitive, 90.90% specific and 90% accurate in detecting free intraperitoneal fluid. Its sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 80%, 90% an(1 86% for detection of solid organ injuries. Pancreas could not be assessed ¡n many patients. It is not a method of choice for the assessment of pancreatic or bladder injuries due to blunt abdominal trauma. We concluded that it could be performed by surgical residents, initially trained in ultrasonography, with fair sensitivity and good specificity and accuracy for the initial assessment and monitoring of blunt abdominal trauma.