Results of surgical treatment for vascular injuries

The purpose of this study was to clarify the current etiology of and prognosis for iatrogenic vascular injuries. The study involved patients who underwent surgery for vascular injury. The patient record was retrospectively reviewed to collect information on the patient profile and type of vascular injury. The surgical techniques used were classified as simple or complex. The outcome was measured as morbidity and 30-day hospital mortality due to vascular injuries. The average age of the group with iatrogenic injury was significantly older than the group without. The number of males and females with iatrogenic injuries were almost equal, whereas males predominated in the group with noniatrogenic injuries. During the first half of the study period, more injuries were noniatrogenic; during the second half, most were iatrogenic. Most injuries due to angiographic procedures could be treated by a simple repair. Injuries due to operative procedures and noniatrogenic traumas had to be repaired by complex techniques. The overall morbidity rate was 3.8%, and the 30-day hospital mortality rate was 1.9%. The recently developed minimally invasive surgical techniques tend to increase the risk of vascular injuries whereas catheterization remains the most important cause of iatrogenic vascular injuries. However, as long as such injuries are treated promptly, the prognosis is good.