Tibbs P A, Young A B, Bivins B A, Sachatello C R
J Trauma. 1980 Jan;20(1):55-7.
Loss of sensory, motor, and reflex function during spinal shock obscures the usual signs of significant blunt abdominal trauma. In a retrospective study of ten acutely quadriplegic patients, initial physical findings, vital signs, and hematocrit determinations were not found to be helpful in detecting intra-abdominal injury. Diagnostic peritoneal lavage was an accurate indicator of the presence or absence of significant intraperitoneal hemorrhage in all ten cases in this series.
