In blunt trauma, the spleen is most frequent injured organ in the abdomen and the most frequent source of bleeding in the abdomen.

Historically, splenectomy was the treatment of choice for splenic bleeding. For exsanguinating patients, open splenectomy is still the proper choice of treatment if the spleen is a significant source of bleeding. However, for hemodynamic stable patients with splenic injury, non-operative management (NOM) is an alternative, assuming they have no other indication for surgery (peritonitis).

Non-operative management includes observation and/or splenic artery embolisation (SAE), but the indications for observation and SAE varies between trauma centers. The greatest advantage of NOM is the preservation of splenic function.

In the investigators hospital splenic artery embolisation was introduced in 2007. The investigators want to describe the treatment of splenic injuries in their hospital, to see if the number of splenectomies has been recduced after 2007, and to see if SAE has also been used in transferred trauma patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All patients admitted at UNN Tromsø in the period of 01.01.2000 - 31.12.2013 and with the discharge diagnosis S36.0 Splenic injury (ICD-10)

Exclusion Criteria:

• no injury/coding error
• iatrogenic injury
• transfer >7 days after injury
• >10 days between injury and first hospital admission

All patients with a traumatic splenic injury admitted at University Hospital North Norway Tromsø