interpreting results
Last reviewed 01/2018
The evidence for visceral blunt trauma with peritoneal lavage is gauged on the following scale:
- positive:
- aspiration of free flowing blood, or
- aspiration of faeces, or
- bloody lavage fluid, from lavage catheter, urinary catheter or chest drain, containing:
- RBC > 100 000 / millimetre cubed
- WBC > 500 / millimetre cubed
- amylase > 175 w/dl
- indeterminate:
- lightly stained lavage fluid:
- RBC 50 000-100 000 / millimetre cubed
- WBC 100-500 / millimetre cubed
- amylase > 75 w/dl, < 175 w/dl
- negative:
- unstained lavage fluid:
- RBC < 50 000 / millimetre cubed
- WBC < 100 / millimetre cubed
- amylase < 75 w/dl