Differences in Management and Outcomes in Atraumatic Splenic Rupture Compared to Traumatic Injury Following Blunt Abdominal Trauma

Background/Objectives: To evaluate the differences in treatment and outcomes between traumatic and atraumatic splenic lacerations. Methods: This retrospective study included all patients with a diagnosis of splenic lacerations confirmed by computed tomography that presented from 01/2010 to 03/2023 at one tertiary hospital. The exclusion criteria included missing image data and death in the first 24 h due to extensive trauma. The etiology of the splenic laceration, demographic characteristics, and clinical parameters were recorded and evaluated as prognostic factors in therapy success and mortality. Subgroup analyses were undertaken according to the etiology of the splenic laceration and the primary treatment. The extent of splenic laceration was assessed by using the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) score in its latest revision (2018). Results: Of all 291 enrolled patients (mean age 47 ± 21 years, 204 males), 50 presented with atraumatic splenic lacerations due to different underlying causes. The occurrence of moderate and high-grade laceration differed significantly between the atraumatic and traumatic study group (45/50 [90%] vs. 139/241 [58%], p < 0.001). Accordingly, the number of patients being treated conservatively differed greatly (20/50 [40%] vs. 164/241 [56%]), with a worse clinical success rate for atraumatic lacerations (75% vs. 94.5%). Atraumatic splenic injuries showed a higher conversion rate to surgery (2/20 [10%] vs. 2/164 [1%]). Despite the lower clinical success rate of splenic artery embolization (SAE) in atraumatic injuries (87% vs. 97%), the number of patients needing treatment for primary SAE in AAST 3 injuries was 14.1 in the traumatic population and only 4 in the atraumatic population. Conclusions: Atraumatic splenic injuries should not be treated as traumatic splenic injuries. An early upgrade to SAE or surgery should be considered for moderate splenic injuries, and they should be evaluated by an interdisciplinary team on a case-by-case basis. However, due to the underlying multimorbidity of patients with atraumatic splenic injuries, a higher mortality is to be expected.