La conducta fue de observación cuando los pacientes no presentaban peritonitis, estaban hemodinámicamente estables y su examen clínico era confiable.
En un período de 8 años, 1856 pacientes fueron admitidos con herida de arma de fuego en abdomen. 792 de ellos (42%) fueron inicialmente tratados en forma expectante, sin cirugía.
Durante el período temprano de observación, 712 permanecieron estables y no requirieron ningún tipo de cirugía. Los restantes 82 (4%) fueron laparotomizados y 57 de ellos tenían lesiones orgánicas. El 32% de las lesiones abdominales posteriores requirieron cirugía inmediata, mientras que en las abdominales posteriores fue en el 66% [p<0.001].
Los autores consideran que su política redujo la hospitalización en 3560 días con un ahorro de costos de aproximadamente 9.5 millones de dólares.
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