[Damage to the major vessels during surgical interventions in patients with cancer]

The paper discusses causes and outcome of injuries to major arteries and veins observed in 53 surgical cases of cancer of various sites. Radical removal of tumor invading the vascular wall proved the main cause of iatrogenic trauma. Lateral and circular atraumatic sutures were used to restore major circulation in 31 cases; vessels were ligated in 17. Failure to arrest intraoperative bleeding was reported in 5 patients. There were 7 (13.2%) fatalities.