Following penetrating abdominal trauma, a 22-year-old male has a Grade III splenic laceration on CT scan. He is hemodynamically stable with no other injuries. According to AAST organ injury scale criteria, what is Grade III splenic injury?
- A Capsular tear < 1 cm depth
- B Laceration > 3 cm depth or involving trabecular vessels ✓
- C Laceration 3–10 cm parenchymal depth not involving trabecular vessels
- D Laceration involving segmental or hilar vessels causing > 25% devascularization
Explanation
The AAST Organ Injury Scale for splenic injury: Grade I = subcapsular hematoma < 10% surface area or capsular laceration < 1 cm; Grade II = subcapsular hematoma 10–50% or parenchymal laceration 1–3 cm; Grade III = subcapsular hematoma > 50% or expanding, or parenchymal laceration > 3 cm or involving trabecular vessels; Grade IV = laceration involving segmental or hilar vessels with > 25% devascularization; Grade V = completely shattered spleen or hilar vascular injury with devascularization. Grades I–III in hemodynamically stable patients are candidates for non-operative management (NOM) with close monitoring.
Reference: Bailey & Love's Short Practice of Surgery, 27th ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.