Single-staged laparotomy versus multiple-staged laparotomy for traumatic massive hemoperitoneum with hemodynamic instability: a single-center, propensity score-matched analysis

BACKGROUND: Currently, damage control surgery (DCS) employing multiple-staged laparotomy (MSL) is a standard hemostatic approach for treating trauma patients with unstable hemodynamics attributable to massive hemoperitoneum. Based on these findings, we had frequently employed MSL as a part of our hemostatic strategy for the patients, but with unsatisfactory outcomes. On the other hand, with the establishment of damage control resuscitation (DCR), it has become possible to avoid trauma-induced coagulopathy and to achieve adequate hemostasis with single-staged laparotomy (SSL). Consequently, our institutional strategy for surgical hemostasis of the patients has gradually shifted from MSL to SSL with implementation of DCR. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the impact of this shift in the strategy by comparing outcomes of the patients between those underwent MSL and those underwent SSL employing propensity score matching. METHODS: This retrospective, single-center, observational study evaluated outcomes of hemodynamically unstable patients with traumatic massive hemoperitoneum requiring surgical intervention between 2005 and 2020. The patient population was divided into two groups: a SSL group and a MSL group. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for differences in baseline characteristics in the two groups, a one-to-one matched analysis using nearest-neighbor matching was performed based on the estimated propensity score of each group. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes were 48-h mortality and 28-day mortality. RESULTS: A total of 170 patients met the inclusion criteria; 141 patients underwent SSL, and 29 underwent MSL. In the propensity-matched analysis with 27 pairs, the SSL group had significantly lower in-hospital mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.154; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.035 to 0.682) and 28-day mortality (OR 0.200; 95% CI 0.044 to 0.913) than the MSL group, but the 48-h mortality did not differ significantly between the two groups (25.9% vs. 44.4%; OR 0.375; 95% CI 0.099–1.414). CONCLUSIONS: Single-staged laparotomy may be an effective surgical treatment for the traumatic massive hemoperitoneum cases with hemodynamic instability, if conducted following sufficient damage control resuscitation and performed by an experienced surgeon. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12893-022-01660-6.