Severe liver trauma deaths drop at Auckland hospital

Embargoed until: Publicly released:
Peer-reviewed: This work was reviewed and scrutinised by relevant independent experts.

Observational study: A study in which the subject is observed to see if there is a relationship between two or more things (eg: the consumption of diet drinks and obesity). Observational studies cannot prove that one thing causes another, only that they are linked.

People: This is a study based on research using people.

Over the last 14 years, the number of patients with severe liver injuries admitted to Auckland City Hospital has remained stable, but there seems to have been a drop in the number of patients who die of bleeding from the liver over time. The study author found that fewer people died during the second half of the study (11 deaths), compared to the first half (21 deaths). This drop mostly came from fewer deaths from haemorrhage and multi-organ failure. The author suggests the decline wasn’t due to surgery changes, but rather points to improvements in how services manage severely-injured patients, including a multi-disciplinary approach.

Journal/conference: New Zealand Medical Journal

Organisation/s: Auckland City Hospital (Auckland District Health Board)

Funder: N/A

Media release

From: New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA)

Key Points

  • Over the last 14 years, 450 patients were admitted to Auckland City Hospital with liver trauma.

  • The incidence and severity of liver trauma has remained relatively stable, and the majority were managed without needing abdominal surgery.

  • Motor vehicle crashes were responsible for half of all injured patients with liver trauma, with stabbings as the second most common mechanism.

  • Liver complications occurred in 11% of patients, with bile leaks the most common.

  • Fewer patients died from severe liver trauma in the latter half of the study, principally through a reduction in death from haemorrhage and multi-organ failure. "

Summary

Over the last 14 years, the number of patients with severe liver injuries admitted to Auckland City Hospital has remained stable, but there seems to have been a reduction in the number of patients who die of bleeding from the liver over time. The reasons behind this reduction in death from bleeding is currently unknown and speculative but is probably related to multiple improvements in the way that severely injured patients are managed.

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