Comparative study between Focussed Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) and Diagnostic Peritoneal Lavage in Blunt Trauma Abdomen (DPL)

Blunt abdominal trauma is a surgical emergency which challenges the diagnostic skill and efficiency of emergency surgeons. the objective was to compare the accuracy of focused assessment with sonography for trauma (fast) and diagnostic peritoneal lavage (dpl) in detection of hemoperitoneum in blunt trauma abdomen. this cross-sectional comparative study was carried out from october 2007 to december 2007 in accident & emergency department and west surgical ward,mayo hospital lahore. ninety patients with blunt abdominal trauma,divided into two procedural groups,45 patients in each. group i patients were fast positive and group ii patients were dpl positive. there were 83 positive and 7 negative laparotomies. in positive fast group,there were 5 (11.1%) negative laparotomies. in positive dpl group,there were 2 (4.4%) negative laparotomies. this was statistically significant (<0.05). it is concluded that dpl is more accurate than fast in assessment of patients of blunt trauma abdomen.