Introduction: This study characterizes patients with abdominal and/or pelvic trauma admitted to Emergency Departments (EDs) in Poland, focusing on differentiating stable from unstable cases. The objective is to inform of evidence-based guidelines for managing these injuries in both critical and non-critical trauma patients. Aim: The study aims to characterize patients admitted to randomly selected Hospital Emergency Departments in Poland after abdominal and/or pelvic injury. It aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for managing abdominal and pelvic trauma. Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using anonymized medical records from three randomly selected EDs in Poland, representing Levels I, II, and III of the Polish Trauma Care System. Patients with abdominal and/ or pelvic trauma were identified and categorised by trauma type, injury mechanism, severity, and stability. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics, and relationships between variables were analyzed using the Chi-square or Fisher's exact test, with α = 0.05 for significance. Results: Of 93,714 ED patients, 708 met the study criteria, with 215 confirmed cases of abdominal and/or pelvic trauma. Closed (blunt) injuries were predominant (96.3%), especially low-energy injuries among older adults. Mild trauma was most common (64.65%) according to the CRAMS scale, while severe injuries accounted for only 8.84%. A substantial proportion of patients were stable upon ED admission, with 69.3% of abdominal trauma and 100% of pelvic trauma patients exhibiting no signs of organ failure or peritoneal symptoms. The findings indicate a higher-than-expected prevalence of stable trauma cases, underscoring the need for guidelines to manage stable but potentially vulnerable patients. Discussion: This study offers insights into the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients with abdominal and/or pelvic trauma in EDs, with a particular focus on differentiating stable from unstable trauma patients and addressing distinct clinical needs. By testing key hypotheses on trauma type, severity, and patient stability, the study brings attention to areas in trauma management that may benefit from revised protocols and resource allocation. Our findings underscore the importance of recognizing stable trauma patients as a significant but underrepresented group in trauma literature. Existing studies are often conducted in EDs located within trauma centres, which influences the patient populations represented in the literature. Additionally, a common inclusion criterion in such studies is trauma team activation or the explicit identification of unstable patients with systolic blood pressure below 90 mmHg. Research focusing on stable patients with abdominal and/ or pelvic trauma is rare and typically addresses aspects other than the specific characteristics of this group. However, in our study, a substantial proportion of patients with abdominal and/or pelvic trauma were clinically stable upon ED arrival. This has implications for ED triage, where prioritization often leans towards critically unstable cases, potentially overlooking the nuanced needs of stable patients who may still benefit from close monitoring to prevent deterioration. Conclusions: This study reveals a significant proportion of stable, low-severity abdominal and pelvic trauma cases in Polish EDs, challenging the traditional focus on high-risk, unstable trauma. Recognizing stable patients' specific needs could optimize triage and resource allocation, reducing unnecessary admissions while maintaining quality care. Future guidelines should integrate protocols for stable trauma cases to improve ED efficiency and patient outcomes. Significance: The findings of this study underscore the need for optimized resource allocation within EDs. Given the high proportion of clinically stable, low-severity trauma cases, current triage protocols may require adaptation to ensure efficient patient management. The current study provides evidence supporting the refinement of trauma protocols, particularly for geriatric trauma patients, whose stable presentations can be misleading. Additionally, research suggests that dedicated monitoring processes for stable trauma patients could reduce preventable complications, particularly in cases involving lowenergy blunt trauma. Expanding on existing assessment tools, including modified early warning scores (MEWS) and geriatric trauma triage criteria, could help differentiate stable but at-risk patients from those who can be safely discharged.
Kopta et al. (Wed,) studied this question.