Factors influencing morbidity and mortality after liver injury.

The factors influencing morbidiy and mortality after liver injury were monitored prospectively in 637 patients. Death correlated with the number of associated injuries, severity of injury, presence of great vessel injury, active bleeding from liver at laparotomy, and severe shock on admission. Morbidity correlated most with presence of a colon injury, and the use of choledochostomy drainage. The first priority in treating liver injury is to stop bleeding. The simplest technique for this is multiple liver suture. Drainage is most safely achieved with soft rubber drains placed to the site of injury. Although several patients having no drainage may do well postoperatively, at least two patients in this series died because no drains were used. The use of choledochostomy drainage for decompression of the liver is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and is, therefore, contraindicated.