Radiological Findings and Interventions for Iatrogenic Vascular Injuries

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To evaluate the radiological findings and effectiveness of radiological interventions in patientswith iatrogenic vascular injuries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed 50 patients with iatrogenic vascularinjuries treated with radiological intervention. The causes of injuries were surgery(n=20), cardiovascularintervention(n=15), non-cardiovascular radiological intervention(n=14), and endoscopic intervention(n=1). Theinjury had resulted in hemorrhage in 35 cases. The iliac and/or femoral, hepatic, and renal vessels were commonlyinjured. Angiography, ultrasonography with Doppler examination, CT, and CT angiography were performed to diagnosevascular injuries and guide the radiological intervention. The mean follow-up period was 23 months and in 16 caseswas more than one year. RESULTS: The major radiological findings were extravasation, pseudoaneurysm,arteriovenous shunt, or vascular obstruction. To control these lesions, radiological interventions such asembolization(n=36), local urokinase administration, stent insertion, foreign body removal, ultrasonography-guidedcompression, or stent-graft insertion were performed. The clinical problems were immediately controlled by thesingle trials of radiological interventions and did not recur in 40 cases (80%). CONCLUSION: Radiologicalexaminations and interventions are useful in cases with iatrogenic vascular injuries.