[Inferior vena cava trauma: analysis of 36 cases]

The authors analysed 36 trauma patients with inferior vena cava injuries to evaluate different surgical approaches, as well as, important aspects related to morbidity and mortality. Gunshot wounds were the most frequent cause of inferior vena cava injuries and 55% of the patients had circulatory instability on admission. Retrohepatic inferior vena cava was frequently injured in association with liver injury. From those 20 unstable patients on admission, there were 17 deaths, and injury was in the retrohepatic portion of the inferior vena cava in 9, and in the supradiaphragmatic portion in 3. These data support the concept that site of injury and hemodynamic status on admission are the principal factors related to morbidity and mortality in inferior vena cava injuries.