[Outcome of treatment of iatrogenic vascular lesions]

The incidence and etiology of iatrogen vascular injuries have changed during the last years due to the fact that many vascular procedures, including invasive catheter procedures, minimally invasive interventions and osteosynthetic operations are more frequently performed. 66 patients who were treated between 1993 and 1997 were retrospectively analysed. The most common cause of surgical repair were lesions after catheter procedures (n = 47; 71.2%) followed by various other causes (traumatology n = 6, orthopedics n = 5, gynecology n = 4, general surgery n = 4). In patients with complicated catheterizations and need for acute vascular-surgical repair, the limb could only be preserved in 12 of 21 cases (57.1%). Vascular lesions on account of other operative specialities finally required an amputation in 3 patients. One patient in this group died. Besides the seriousness of injury one main reason for an unfavourable outcome was a delayed diagnosis with subsequent exceeding of the ischemic tolerance in 18 patients (27.3%). Some rare and serious complications are especially discussed.