A 20-year experience with portal and superior mesenteric venous injuries: has anything changed?

To identify predictive factors causing mortality in patients with injuries to the portal (PV) and superior mesenteric veins (SMV).

Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data.

Adults admitted with blunt or penetrating PV and SMV injuries at an academic level I trauma center during a 20-year period.

Of 26,387 major trauma victims admitted from 1987 through 2006, 26 sustained PV or SMV injuries (PV=15, SMV=11). Mechanism of injury was penetrating in 19 (73%) and 20 were in shock. Active hemorrhage occurred in 21. Most patients had associated injuries (2.9+/-1.8/patient). Mean Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 27.8+/-16.8. All PV injuries underwent suture repair and 27% of SMV injuries were ligated. Overall mortality was 46% (PV=47%, SMV=45%). Stab wounds had a lower mortality (31%) compared to gunshot wounds (67%) and blunt injuries (57%). Nonsurvivors had a higher ISS (35.8 vs. 20.9; p=0.02), more associated injuries (3.7 vs. 2.2; p=0.02), were older, and had active hemorrhage. Active hemorrhage (p=0.04) was independently related to death while shock on admission (odds ratio=6.1, p=0.61) trended toward higher mortality.

Despite improvements in trauma care, mortality of PV and SMV injuries remains high. Shock, active hemorrhage, and associated injuries were predictive of increased mortality.