The Efficacy and Benefits of Transcatheter Arterial Embolization (TAE) in Patients with Blunt Splenic Injury

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and benefits of transcatheter arterial embolization(TAE) in patients with blunt splenic injury after blunt abdominal trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the results of transcatheter arterial embolization in 23 patients who suffered splenic injury after blunt abdominal trauma. Fourteen of the patients were male, and 9 were female; 13 were adults, and 10 were children. Transcatheter arterial embolization was performed in patients with hypotension, tachycardia, evidence of hemodynamic instability due, for example, to low levels of Hgb and Hct, or those who needed fluid therapy or blood transfusion. After embolization the patients 'progress was monitored by CT scanning, abdominal sonography, or 99mTc-sulfur colloid scintigraphy. RESULTS: The degree of splenic injury was classified according to the system devised by Mirvis et al.; nine cases were CT grade III, and 14 were grade IV. After demonstrating angiographically the site of contrast leakage, embolization was performed; for this, a coil only was used in 16 cases, gelfoam only in four, and both coil and gelfoam in three. There were three sites of vascular embolization 16 procedures were performed in the proxi-mal part of the main trunk of the splenic artery, four in a superselected branch of this same artery, and three in both the splenic artery and one of its superselected branches. Of the 23 cases, 18 recovered without splenectomy after embolization, three adult patients died from coexisting conditions (spinal or cerebral injuries, liver cir-rhosis, or pelvic bone fracture) or complications(acute renal failure or disseminated intravascular coagulation). Due to co-existing pancreatic and mesenteric vessel injury, two of the adult patients who underwent TAE also underwent delayed surgery; intraoperatively, there was no evidence of splenic rebleeding. In all patients who did not undergo surgery, follow-up observation revealed a decreased volume of hemoperitoneum, increased uptake of radionuclide in the spleen, and no evidence of rebleeding. CONCLUSION: Transcatheter angiography and arterial embolization in patients with splenic injuries who showed hemodynamic instability and a high CT grade is a non-surgical approach that can achieve early hemostasis and hemodynamic stability. Another benefit of this procedure is the preservation of splenic function.