Deep peritoneal lavage

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Indications

Patients with closed head injuries, altered consciousness, spinal cord injuries, equivocal abdominal findings, and negative needle paracentesis; not recommended for patients with direct trauma to chest or abdomen or back, previous abdominal procedures, presence of dilated bowel or late pregnancy

Technique

Drain the bladder and empty the stomach; advance trochar until it penetrates the peritoneum; lactated Ringer’s solution is infused and patients is turned to the side to mix the contents of the abdomen with the fluid; the fluid is then siphoned out of the peritoneal cavity and the fluid is evaluated - > 100,000 RBCs or 500 WBCs is positive