Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of blunt aortic injury: an EAST Practice Management Guidelines Work Group

Early Versus Delayed Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair for Blunt Thoracic Aortic Injury: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis

OBJECTIVE

We examined early (≤24 h) versus delayed (>24 h) thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI), taking the aortic injury severity into consideration.

BACKGROUND

Current trauma surgery guidelines recommend delayed TEVAR following BTAI. However, this recommendation was based on small studies, and specifics regarding recommendation strategies based on aortic injury grades are lacking.

METHODS

Patients undergoing TEVAR for BTAI in the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program between 2016 and 2019 were included and then stratified into 2 groups (early: ≤24 h vs. delayed: >24 h). In-hospital outcomes were compared after creating 1:1 propensity score-matched cohorts, matching for demographics, comorbidities, concomitant injuries, additional procedures, and aortic injury severity based on the acute aortic syndrome (AAS) classification.

RESULTS

Overall, 1339 patients were included, of whom 1054(79%) underwent early TEVAR. Compared with the delayed group, the early group had significantly less severe head injuries (early vs delayed; 25% vs 32%; P =0.014), fewer early interventions for AAS grade 1 occurred, and AAS grade 3 aortic injuries often were intervened upon within 24 hours (grade 1: 28% vs 47%; grade 3: 49% vs 23%; P <0.001). After matching, the final sample included 548 matched patients. Compared with the delayed group, the early group had a significantly higher in-hospital mortality (8.8% vs 4.4%, relative risk: 2.2, 95% CI: 1.1-4.4; P =0.028), alongside a shorter length of hospital stay (5.0 vs 10 days; P =0.028), a shorter intensive care unit length of stay (4.0 vs 11 days; P <0.001) and fewer days on the ventilator (4.0 vs 6.5 days; P =0.036). Furthermore, regardless of the higher risk of acute kidney injury in the delayed group (3.3% vs 7.7%, relative risk: 0.43, 95% CI: 0.20-0.92; P =0.029), no other differences in in-hospital complications were observed between the early and delayed group.

CONCLUSION

In this propensity score-matched analysis, delayed TEVAR was associated with lower mortality risk, even after adjusting for aortic injury grade.

Blunt thoracic aortic injury diagnosis and management: two decades of innovation from Memphis

In recognition of Dr Timothy Fabian's sentinel contributions to the field of trauma surgery, this review highlights his contributions to the diagnosis and management of blunt thoracic aortic injury and places his contributions into context relative to current practice.

Role of Interventional Radiology in the Management of Non-aortic Thoracic Trauma

Trauma remains a leading cause of death for all age groups, and nearly two-thirds of these individuals suffer thoracic trauma. Due to the various types of injuries, including vascular and nonvascular, interventional radiology plays a major role in the acute and chronic management of the thoracic trauma patient. Interventional radiologists are critical members in the multidisciplinary team focusing on treatment of the patient with thoracic injury. Through case presentations, this article will review the role of interventional radiology in the management of trauma patients suffering thoracic injuries.

Laparotomy management of diaphragmatic and hollow viscera rupture combined with thoracic endovascular aortic repair after a traffic accident: A case report

Introduction

Road traffic incidents are the most common cause of multiple organ trauma in low- and middle-income countries. Multiple blunt intra-abdominal organs that rupture in conjunction with a ruptured aorta are terrible and rare.

Case presentation

A 65-year-old man sustained critical injuries during a traffic collision between a motorcycle and truck. The Injury Severity Score was 42 points,. After open abdominal exploration, we repaired the left diaphragmatic rupture with a 13-cm-long tear of IV grade (American Association for the Surgery of Trauma), resected partial small bowel, simple suture of the transverse colon, and Hartmann procedure in the descending colon. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was performed 22 h after laparotomy. Reconstruction of the head depicting a cheekbone fracture and inferior to the left orbital bone was performed on the 14th day. The patients survived and were discharged from the hospital, at 22 days without morbidity or mortality.

Discussion

Diaphragmatic rupture provides a signal to relate head, thoracic, and abdominal blunt trauma. If the patient sustains more serious life-threatening injuries that require emergency laparotomy or craniotomy, and aortic repair may be delayed. Laparotomy is the best initial surgical method in this case. TEVAR is a feasible and gold standard procedure for the treatment of patients with the necessary indications.

Conclusion

It is essential to evaluate the level of organ damage to properly coordinate the specialists. The timing of the operation and therapeutic alternatives should be decided for each patient.

•

Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture (TDR) provides a signal to relate head, thoracic, and abdominal injuries.

•

Multiple blunt intra-abdominal organs ruptured in conjunction with a ruptured aorta are terrible and rare traumas.

•

Laparotomy is the best initial method and TEVAR is feasible for hemodynamically stable patients.

A single center experience on the management of pediatric blunt aortic injury

OBJECTIVE

Blunt abdominal aortic injury in pediatrics is a rare clinical entity with which most vascular surgeons have minimal experience. Evidence for management recommendations is limited. Herein we report a single institution's experience in the care of pediatric abdominal aortic injuries.

METHODS

This is a retrospective review of consecutive pediatric patients diagnosed with blunt traumatic abdominal aortic injury at our institution between 2008 and 2019.

RESULTS

Sixteen pediatric patients (50% male) were identified, ranging in age between 4-17 years. All were involved in motor vehicle collisions and were restrained passengers with a seatbelt sign. Five patients (31%) were hypotensive en route or upon arrival. Seven patients (44%) were transferred from another hospital. The median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 34 (Interquartile range, IQR 19-35). The infrarenal aortic injuries were stratified according to the aortic injury grading classification: n=5/2/7/2 (grades 1-4, respectively). Concurrent non-aortic injuries included solid organ (63%, n=10), hollow viscus (88%, n=14), brain (25%, n=4), hemo/pneumothorax (25%, n=4), spine fractures (81%, n=13), and non-spine fractures (75%, n=12). In total, 56% of patients (n=9/16) required aortic repair: three needed immediate revascularization for distal ischemia. The remaining six patients (38%) underwent a delayed repair with a median time to repair of 52 days (range 2-916 days). Half of delayed repairs occurred during the index hospitalization. On repeat axial imaging, the three delayed-repair patients were found to have enlarging pseudoaneurysms or flow-limiting dissections and subsequently underwent repair during index hospitalization. Only one patient underwent endovascular repair. No deaths occurred, and the median follow-up length was 7 months (IQR 3-28 months) in this study population. All postoperative patients demonstrated stable imaging without requiring further intervention. Seven patients, whose injury grades ranged between 1 and 3, were observed. Their repeat imaging demonstrated either stability or resolution of their aortic injury. Remarkably, half of patients were lost to follow up after discharge or following their first postoperative clinic visit.

CONCLUSIONS

Delayed aortic intervention can be safely performed in the majority of pediatric patients with blunt abdominal aortic injuries with preserved distal perfusion to the lower extremities. This suggests that transfer to a tertiary center with vascular expertise is a safe and feasible management strategy. However, progression of aortic injuries was seen as early as within 48 hours and as late as 30 months post injury, underscoring the importance of long-term surveillance. Unfortunately, in this cohort, 50% of the children were lost to follow up, highlighting the need for a more structured surveillance strategy.

Traumatic Aortic Injury: Sailing Close to the Wind

Blunt aortic injuries are lethal and only a few patients survive. Most of the patients die at the site of accidents and only a few reach the hospital. Those who reach hospitals usually have small tears or pseudo-aneurysm of the aorta. Immediate imaging and intervention play a major role in the survival of these patients. We report this case as only a few patients report to the hospital with aortic injury and our patient was taken up for surgery immediately and a life-saving procedure was done.

Blunt thoracic aorta injuries, an Australian single centre's perspective

BACKGROUND

Blunt thoracic aortic injuries (BTAI) are potentially life-threatening emergencies. The management paradigm has shifted from open repair to a predominantly endovascular approach. We evaluated the trends in managing BTAI at our centre over the last decade and compared them to current international guidelines.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed all patients who presented with BTAI to our level one trauma centre, Westmead Hospital, New South Wales, Australia between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019. Patient demographics, injury grade and location, imaging features, management details and outcomes were analysed.

RESULTS

BTAI is rare, with 39 patients identified at our institute over the last 10 years. Of these, seven died in the emergency department from their associated injuries (17.9%). Of the 32 survivors, 27 underwent surgical management with an endovascular stent-graft placement, and the remaining five patients were treated non-operatively. No patients were treated via an open surgical approach. All patients were diagnosed via computed tomography angiography. There were one death and two endoleaks amongst patients who underwent Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). The death occurred secondary to severe traumatic brain injury. Two patients illustrated neurological changes however these were associated with the original injury. No patients failed non-operative management.

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that at our level one trauma centre, patients with BTAI are managed in accordance with international guidelines. All patients underwent computed tomography angiography for diagnosis and grading of injury. All patients requiring surgical management underwent TEVAR. Furthermore, our data support that select patients with grade I injuries can safely be managed non-operatively.

The Use of Chest Computed Tomographic Angiography in Blunt Trauma Pediatric Population

INTRODUCTION

Blunt chest trauma in children is common. Although rare, associated major thoracic vascular injuries (TVIs) are lethal potential sequelae of these mechanisms. The preferred study for definitive diagnosis of TVI in stable patients is computed tomographic angiography imaging of the chest. This imaging modality is, however, associated with high doses of ionizing radiation that represent significant carcinogenic risk for pediatric patients. The aim of the present investigation was to define the incidence of TVI among blunt pediatric trauma patients in an effort to better elucidate the usefulness of computed tomographic angiography use in this population.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted including all blunt pediatric (age < 14 y) trauma victims registered in Israeli National Trauma Registry maintained by Gertner Institute for Epidemiology and Health Policy Research between the years 1997 and 2015. Data collected included age, sex, mechanism of injury, Glasgow Coma Scale, Injury Severity Score, and incidence of chest named vessel injuries. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS statistical software version 9.2 (SAS Institute Inc, Cary, NC).

RESULTS

Among 433,325 blunt trauma victims, 119,821patients were younger than 14 years. Twelve (0.0001%, 12/119821) of these children were diagnosed with TVI. The most common mechanism in this group was pedestrian hit by a car. Mortality was 41.7% (5/12).

CONCLUSIONS

Thoracic vascular injury is exceptionally rare among pediatric blunt trauma victims but does contribute to the high morbidity and mortality seen with blunt chest trauma. Computed tomographic angiography, with its associated radiation exposure risk, should not be used as a standard tool after trauma in injured children. Clinical protocols are needed in this population to minimize radiation risk while allowing prompt identification of life-threatening injuries.

Timing of repair of blunt thoracic aortic injuries in the thoracic endovascular aortic repair era

OBJECTIVE

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is the preferred operative treatment of blunt thoracic aortic injuries (BTAIs). Its use is associated with improved outcomes compared with open surgical repair and nonoperative management. However, the optimal time from injury to repair is unknown and remains a subject of debate across different societal practice guidelines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate national trends in the management of BTAI, with a specific focus on the impact of timing of repair on outcomes.

METHODS

Using the National Trauma Data Bank, we identified adult patients with BTAI between 2012 and 2017. Patients with prehospital or emergency department cardiac arrest or incomplete data sets were excluded from analysis. Patients were classified according to timing of repair: group 1, <24 hours; and group 2, ≥24 hours. The primary outcome evaluated was in-hospital mortality; secondary outcomes included overall hospital and intensive care unit length of stay. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify independent predictors of mortality.

RESULTS

The analysis was completed for 2821 patients who underwent TEVAR for BTAI with known operative times. The overall mortality in the patient cohort was 8.4% (238/2821); 75% of patients undergoing TEVAR were repaired within 24 hours. Mortality was more than twofold greater in group 1 compared with group 2 (9.8% [207/2118] vs 4.4% [31/703]; P = .001). This mortality benefit persisted across injury severity groups and was independent of the presence of serious extrathoracic injuries. Logistic regression analysis, adjusting for age ≥65 years, Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8, systolic blood pressure ≤90 mm Hg at admission, and serious extrathoracic injuries, showed a higher adjusted mortality in group 1 (odds ratio, 2.54; 95% confidence interval, 1.66-3.91; P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of patients with BTAI undergo endovascular repair within 24 hours of injury. Patients undergoing delayed repair have improved survival compared with those repaired within the first 24 hours of injury in spite of similar injury patterns and severity. In patients with BTAIs without signs of imminent rupture, delaying endovascular repair beyond 24 hours after injury should be considered.

Transitioning to Thoracic Endovascular Repair: A Single Institution's Analysis of the Management of Blunt Aortic Injury

Over the past 15 years, there has been a rapid transformation in the way blunt aortic injuries (BAIs) are managed shifting from open thoracotomies to thoracic endovascular repairs (TEVAR). As a result of this change, we sought to describe our experience with open and endovascular repairs through a retrospective analysis of all trauma patients admitted with BAI to our Level I trauma center from 2002 to 2011. Demographic data, type of repair, complications, length of stay (LOS) data, and mortality were identified. No difference was noted in age, sex, Injury Severity Score, or Glasgow Coma Scale score between the two groups. There were also no differences in the number of acute complications or mortality. Intensive care unit (ICU) LOS was significantly shorter in the TEVAR group (20 vs 9 days, P < 0.05). Additionally, there was a trend toward shorter hospital LOS (28 vs 18 days, P = 0.07) and ventilator length of stay (12 vs 5 days, P = 0.171). In summary, endovascular repair of BAI is safe and has no increased rate of acute complications or mortality. ICU LOS is much shorter with TEVAR, and there was a trend toward shorter ventilator and hospital LOS, all of which may result in decreased cost. Still, more needs to be learned about potential long-term complications.

Blunt aortic injuries in the new era: radiologic findings and polytrauma risk assessment dictates management strategy

PURPOSE

Blunt aortic injuries (BAI) have historically been considered an indication for emergent surgical intervention. Nevertheless, the observation that the outcome of the concomitant traumatic injuries has a major impact on prognosis and the rise of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) as an effective therapy for BAI have significantly changed in recent years the treatment algorithm of this condition. Our objective was to identify findings associated with the aortic injury which would be the best predictor of prognosis, with the objective of guiding the decision-making process for selecting the optimal timing of aortic repair.

METHODS

We reviewed blunt aortic injuries from 3 Level I Trauma Centers from July 2008 to December 2016. We analyzed overall and BAI-related 30-day mortality in relation to: hemodynamics, timing of treatment, TEVAR vs open repair, and aortic injury grade as defined by the Society for Vascular Surgery. Based on computed tomographic angiography (CT scan) imaging, we selected the radiologic aortic findings most indicative of high mortality risk, which we defined as "Radiographic Severe Injury" (RSI): (1) total/partial aortic transection, (2) active contrast extravasation, or (3) the association of 2 of more of the following: contained contrast extravasation > 10 mm, periaortic hematoma, and/or mediastinal hematoma with thickness > 10 mm, or significant left pleural effusion.

RESULTS

Of a total of 76 consecutive patients, 50 (66%) underwent immediate repair, 24 (31%) delayed aortic repair, and 2 (3%) died prior to repair. 58 patients (76%) had TEVAR, while 16 (24%) had open repair. Overall mortality was 18% and BAI-related mortality was 13%. In BAI-related mortalities, 70% of patients had RSI. Patients with high risk of overall mortality had hypotension and tachycardia (SBP < 100, HR ≥ 100), high ISS, and required vasopressors. Factors only associated with BAI-related mortality included RSI.

CONCLUSION

CT scan findings suggestive of RSI are predictive of mortality associated with BAI. Radiologic assessment of the severity of the aortic injury with characterization for the presence of RSI may represent the key factors to determine the optimal timing of treatment of the aortic injury and guide the overall treatment strategy.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

Atypical profile of aortic injury associated with blunt trauma in the metropolitan area of Japan

Background

Aortic injury caused by blunt trauma is a critical medical condition that requires extraordinary caution in the treatment. It is often caused by direct hit and high-speed deceleration in motor vehicle accidents. We reviewed and analysed the cases of aortic injury that referred to our institution located in the midst of the metropolitan area of Tokyo, Japan.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the blunt trauma cases transferred to Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital in the past 10 years. All cases with aortic injury were analyzed regardless of the AIS scores. Results: Between 2007 and 2017, a total of 3500 blunt trauma cases were transferred. Nineteen cases showed aortic injuries associated with blunt trauma (Age: 63.5±15.6 y.o.; 15 males). Thirteen patients were injured by fall, four patients were senior pedestrians hit by cars, one was injured while riding a motor bike, and one was hit by a train. A total of 11 cases presented a cardiopulmonary arrest on arrival; 8 severe aortic injuries, 1 cardiac rupture; and 2 multiple injuries. Eight cases were alive on arrival; 3 Stanford type A aortic dissections, 3 Stanford type B aortic dissections, and 2 aortic ruptures. Two cases of Stanford type A dissection underwent emergency repairs, whereas all 3 type B dissections went on a good course with conservative treatment.

Conclusions

Aortic injury caused by blunt trauma seems to be rare in a metropolitan area in Japan. In addition, the leading cause in our cases was fall, which might be a rare cause of aortic injuries in the other countries. Our observation might be a manifestation of population aging.

Thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) versus open surgery for blunt traumatic thoracic aortic injury

BACKGROUND

Blunt traumatic thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is a life-threatening surgical emergency associated with mortality up to 8000 per year, most commonly caused by rapid acceleration/deceleration injury sustained through motor vehicle accident and/or blunt thoracic trauma. BTAI has high pre-hospital mortality following the primary injury, with only 10% to 15% of patients surviving long enough to reach the hospital. Open surgical repair had remained the standard treatment option for BTAI since successfully introduced in 1959. However, with technological advances, thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) offers an alternative treatment option for BTAI. TEVAR is a less invasive surgical approach for management of these already critical patients; many reports have described favourable early outcomes.Thoracic endovascular repair may appear to be superior to open repair for treatment of BTAI. However, its long-term results and efficacy remain unknown. No randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have provided evidence to support the superiority of the endovascular approach versus open repair in the treatment of BTAI. This review aims to address this matter. This is an update of a review first published in 2015.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether use of thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) for treatment of blunt traumatic thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is associated with reduced mortality and morbidity when compared with conventional open surgery.

SEARCH METHODS

The Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist searched the Cochrane Vascular Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL and AMED databases and World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov trials registers to 20 August 2018.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We considered all published and unpublished randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing TEVAR and open surgery for BTAI.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently reviewed all RCTs identified by the Cochrane Vascular Information Specialist.

MAIN RESULTS

We found no RCTs that met the inclusion criteria for this review.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We found no RCTs conducted to determine whether use of TEVAR for the treatment of BTAI is associated with reduced mortality and morbidity when compared to conventional open repair. Hence, we are unable to provide any evidence to guide the treatment option for this life-threatening condition. To perform a randomised controlled trial to clarify the optimal management of BTAI would be highly challenging due to the natural history of the condition. Despite the lack of RCT evidence, clinicians are moving forward with endovascular treatment of BTAI on the basis of meta-analyses of cohort studies and large clinical series.

Seat-Belt Abdominal Aortic Injury-Treatment Modalities

Blunt abdominal aortic injuries are extremely rare, diagnosed in less than 0.05% of all trauma admissions. Aortic injury caused by a seat belt during a car accident is often referred as "seat-belt aorta". We present a case of an 18-year-old woman, restrained back passenger involved in a vehicular collision, sustaining vertebral column and multiple rib fractures, mesenterium and colonic injury, and infrarenal aortic contusion with localized dissection and partial thrombosis.

Case Report of Traumatic Aortic Disruption: A Lethal Injury Requiring Rapid and Accurate Diagnosis to Lower Mortality

Traumatic aortic disruption is an uncommon but frequently emphasised condition in trauma management in the emergency department. We report a case in which a middle aged woman was hit by a moving vehicle, sustaining multiple severe injuries. Multidetector computed tomography revealed an unexpected but potentially fatal condition – traumatic aortic disruption. A pseudoaneurysm was detected over the aortic arch. In view of the multiple trauma, she was put on conservative treatment. Traumatic aortic disruption should be borne in mind during the emergency evaluation and management of unstable trauma victims, especially those with significant trauma mechanisms. Radiological evaluation plays an important diagnostic role.

Blunt chest trauma: a clinical chameleon

The incidence of blunt chest trauma (BCT) is greater than 15% of all trauma admissions to the emergency departments worldwide and is the second leading cause of death after head injury in motor vehicle accidents. The mortality due to BCT is inhomogeneously described ranging from 9% to 60%. BCT is commonly caused by a sudden high-speed deceleration trauma to the anterior chest, leading to a compression of the thorax. All thoracic structures might be injured as a result of the trauma. Complex cardiac arrhythmia, heart murmurs, hypotension, angina-like chest pain, respiratory insufficiency or distention of the jugular veins may indicate potential cardiac injury. However, on admission to emergency departments symptoms might be missing or may not be clearly associated with the injury. Accurate diagnostics and early management in order to prevent serious complications and death are essential for patients suffering a BCT. Optimal initial diagnostics includes echocardiography or CT, Holter-monitor recordings, serial 12-lead electrocardiography and measurements of cardiac enzymes. Immediate diagnostics leading to the appropriate therapy is essential for saving a patient’s life. The key aspect of the entire management, including diagnostics and treatment of patients with BCT, remains an interdisciplinary team involving cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, imaging radiologists and trauma specialists working in tandem.

Emergency Computed Tomography Angiogram of the Chest, Abdomen, and Pelvis

In the setting of blunt trauma, the rapid assessment of internal injuries is essential to prevent potentially fatal outcomes. Computed tomography is a useful diagnostic tool for both screening and diagnosis. In addition to trauma, acute chest syndromes often warrant emergent computed tomographic angiography, looking for etiologies such as aortic aneurysms or complications of aortic aneurysms, or both, pulmonary emboli, as well as other acute vascular process like aortic dissection and Takayasu aortitis. With continued improvements in diagnostic imaging, computed tomographic angiography of the chest, abdominal and pelvis proves to be an effective modality to image the aorta and other major vascular structures.

A Rare Entity: Traumatic Thoracic Aortic Injury in a Patient with Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery

BACKGROUND

Aberrant right subclavian artery is an uncommon entity incidence ranging from 0.5 to 2.5%. Management of thoracic aortic injury in the presence of such anomalies can be a challenge. We present here a case of traumatic aortic injury, which was incidentally found to have an asymptomatic aberrant right subclavian artery. The patient was managed by an endovascular repair of thoracic aortic injury with an endograft and a right carotid to subclavian artery bypass as a hybrid procedure.

METHODS

A 40-year male patient was brought to the emergency in shock with an alleged history of road traffic accident an hour back. After initial resuscitation as per advance trauma life support protocol, imaging revealed thoracic aortic injury with aberrant right subclavian artery with multiple rib and bilateral humerus fracture. After primary stabilization of arm fractures, the patient was shifted to a hybrid operation room. As the aortic injury was within 10 mm of the origin of both subclavian arteries, it was decided to cover the origin of both subclavian arteries and land the endograft distal to the left carotid artery origin. Since there was a right dominant vertebral artery on imaging, right carotid to right subclavian artery bypass was done with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene graft to prevent posterior circulatory stroke along with thoracic endovascular aortic repair to seal the thoracic aortic injury.

RESULTS

After endovascular repair of thoracic aortic injury, left subclavian artery perfusion was maintained through left vertebral artery; and hence, revascularization of left subclavian artery was deferred. After management of all fractures, the patient was discharged 3 weeks after the date of admission without any complications. At 6 months follow-up, patient was stable and images showed patent bypass graft and sealed aortic injury.

CONCLUSIONS

In a trauma setting with multiple injuries, hybrid procedure with a thoracic endograft is associated with low mortality and morbidity; hence, it is the treatment of choice for thoracic aortic injury over open surgical repair. A hybrid suite can be life and time saving in situations which mandate simultaneous endovascular repair along with surgical revascularization when indicated, especially in cases with aberrant aortic arch anatomy.

Evaluation and management of blunt traumatic aortic injury: a practice management guideline from the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma

BACKGROUND

Blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) is the second most common cause of death in trauma patients. Eighty percent of patients with BTAI will die before reaching a trauma center. The issues of how to diagnose, treat, and manage BTAI were &filig;rst addressed by the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) in the practice management guidelines on this topic published in 2000. Since that time, there have been advances in the management of BTAI. As a result, the EAST guidelines committee decided to develop updated guidelines for this topic using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework recently adopted by EAST.

METHODS

A systematic review of the MEDLINE database using PubMed was performed. The search retrieved English language articles regarding BTAI from 1998 to 2013. Letters to the editor, case reports, book chapters, and review articles were excluded. Topics of investigation included imaging to diagnose BTAI, type of operative repair, and timing of operative repair.

RESULTS

Sixty articles were identi&filig;ed. Of these, 51 articles were selected to construct the guidelines.

CONCLUSION

There have been changes in practice since the publication of the previous guidelines in 2000. Computed tomography of the chest with intravenous contrast is strongly recommended to diagnose clinically signi&filig;cant BTAI. Endovascular repair is strongly recommended for patients without contraindications. Delayed repair of BTAI is suggested, with the stipulation that effective blood pressure control must be used in these patients.

Blunt chest trauma

Blunt chest trauma is associated with a wide range of injuries, many of which are life threatening. This article is a case study demonstrating a variety of traumatic chest injuries, including pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment. Literature on the diagnosis and treatment was reviewed, including both theoretical and research literature, from a variety of disciplines. The role of the advance practice nurse in trauma is also discussed as it relates to assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with traumatic chest injuries.

Blunt thoracic trauma: recent advances and outstanding questions

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The treatment of blunt thoracic injuries is complex and evolving. The aim of this review is to focus on what is new with ventilation for blunt chest trauma as well as an update on the current management strategies for blunt aortic injury and rib fractures.

RECENT FINDINGS

Early use of noninvasive ventilation appears to be well tolerated in select hemodynamically stable blunt trauma patients. For those patients requiring intubation, airway pressure release ventilation is an excellent mode to decrease the risk of posttraumatic acute lung injury. Endovascular repair of blunt thoracic aortic injuries provides benefit over open repair and, if possible, delayed repair confers a mortality advantage. Despite its increasing use, there continue to be conflicting results about the role of surgical rib fixation for the treatment of flail chest.

SUMMARY

Blunt thoracic injuries are commonly treated in the ICU and a solid knowledge of mechanical ventilation strategies (both noninvasive and invasive) is essential. Blunt thoracic aortic injuries require early diagnosis and aggressive blood pressure management. Not all such injuries need operative repair but those that do benefit from an endovascular approach. The management of flail chest includes early aggressive multimodal analgesia, adequate oxygen, and ventilatory support. Surgical rib fixation should be considered in select patients.

CT Chest with IV Contrast Compared with CT Angiography after Blunt Trauma

Blunt aortic injury (BAI) after chest trauma is a potentially lethal condition. Rapid diagnosis is important to appropriately treat patients. The purpose of this study was to compare CT with intravenous contrast (CTI) to CT with angiography (CTA) in the initial evaluation of blunt chest trauma patients. This was a retrospective review of all blunt trauma patients who received a CTI or CTA during the initial evaluation at an urban Level I trauma center from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013. Two-hundred and eighty-one trauma patients met inclusion criteria. Most, 167/281 (59%) received CTI and 114/281 (41%) received CTA. There were no differences between cohorts in age, gender, initial heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and Glasgow Coma Scale in emergency department. Mortality rates were similar for CTI and CTA (4% vs 8%, P = 0.20). CTI identified an injury in 54 per cent compared with 46 per cent in CTA ( P = 0.05). Overall, 2 per cent of patients had BAI with similar rates in CTI and CTA (2% vs 2%, P = 0.80). BAI was not missed using either CTI or CTA. Trauma patients studied with CTI had similar diagnostic findings as CTA. CTI may be preferable to CTA during the initial assessment for possible BAI because of a single contrast injection for whole body CT.

CT Chest with IV Contrast Compared with CT Angiography after Blunt Trauma

Blunt aortic injury (BAI) after chest trauma is a potentially lethal condition that requires rapid diagnosis for appropriate treatment. We compared CT with IV contrast (CTI) with CT with angiography (CTA) during the initial phase of care at an urban Level I trauma center from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013. Overall, 281 patients met inclusion criteria with 167 (59%) CTI and 114 (41%) CTA. There were no differences between cohorts in age, gender, initial heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and Glasgow Coma Scale. Mortality rates were similar for CTI and CTA (4% vs 8%, P = 0.20). CTI identified any chest injury in 54 per cent of patients compared with 46 per cent with CTA ( P = 0.05). The rate of BAI was similar with CTI and CTA (2% vs 2%, P = 0.80), and neither modality was falsely negative. We conclude that CTI and CTA are similar at evaluating trauma patients for BAI, although CTI may be preferable during the initial assessment phase because the contrast injection may be combined with abdominal scanning and image time is reduced when whole-body CT is required.

Thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) versus open surgery for blunt traumatic thoracic aortic injury

BACKGROUND

Blunt traumatic thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is a life-threatening surgical emergency associated with mortality up to 8000 per year, most commonly caused by rapid acceleration/deceleration injury sustained through motor vehicle accident and/or blunt thoracic trauma. BTAI has high pre-hospital mortality following the primary injury, with only 10% to 15% of patients surviving long enough to reach the hospital. Open surgical repair had remained the standard treatment option for BTAI since successfully introduced in 1959. However, with technological advances, thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) offers an alternative treatment option for BTAI. TEVAR is a less invasive surgical approach for management of these already critical patients; many reports have described favourable early outcomes.Thoracic endovascular repair may appear to be superior to open repair for treatment of BTAI. However, its long-term results and efficacy remain unknown. No randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have provided evidence to support the superiority of the endovascular approach versus open repair in the treatment of BTAI. This review aims to address this matter.

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether use of TEVAR for treatment of BTAI is associated with reduced mortality and morbidity when compared with conventional open surgery.

SEARCH METHODS

The Cochrane Vascular Trials Search Co-ordinator searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2015, Issue 7) and clinical trials databases for details of ongoing and unpublished studies.

SELECTION CRITERIA

We considered all published and unpublished randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing TEVAR and open surgery for BTAI.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently reviewed all RCTs identified by the Trials Search Co-ordinator.

MAIN RESULTS

We found no RCTs that met the inclusion criteria for this review.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

We found no RCTs conducted to determine whether use of TEVAR for the treatment of BTAI is associated with reduced mortality and morbidity when compared to conventional open repair. Hence, we are unable to provide any evidence to guide the treatment option for this life-threatening condition. To perform a randomised controlled trial to clarify the optimal management of BTAI would be highly challenging due to the natural history of the condition. Despite the lack of RCT evidence, clinicians are moving forward with endovascular treatment of BTAI on the basis of meta-analyses and large clinical series.

Advances in the treatment of blunt thoracic aortic injuries

Blunt thoracic aortic injuries, even though rare in incidence, carry significant mortality rates and their management still remains challenging. There have been major shifts in diagnosing and treating these injuries in the last 5 decades, which proved to be beneficial in terms of mortality and complications. Endovascular repair has been increasingly used for definitive treatment and its outcomes appear to be at least equally safe and effective as those of open repair. We present a balanced review of the relevant literature regarding the most appropriate approach and definitive treatment of these pathological entities. Based on the studies analyzed, endovascular repair is increasingly being established as the choice of treatment, however, the conventional open surgical approach still remains a safe method for severe injuries; the mortality, complication rates and proven longterm results of the latter are continuously improving. Additionally, delayed repair, where appropriate, seems to be a safe option with very low mortality rates. Despite the encouraging short and midterm outcomes reported, endovascular treatment needs to be assessed in the longterm for more accurate conclusions to be drawn about its durability and safety.

Five-year experience with the peri-operative goal directed management for surgical repair of traumatic aortic injury in the eastern province, Saudi Arabia

Context:

Traumatic aortic injury (TAI) accounts for 1/3 of all trauma victims.

Aim:

We aimed to investigate the efficacy of the adopted standardized immediate pre-operative and intra-operative hemodynamic goal directed control, anesthetic technique and organs protection on the morbidity and mortality in patients presented with TAI.

Settings and Design:

An observational retrospective study at a single university teaching hospital.

Materials and Methods:

Following ethical approval, we recruited the data of 44 patients admitted to the King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, with formal confirmation of diagnosis of blunt TAI during a 5-year period from February 2008 to April 2013 from the hospital medical records.

Statistical Analysis:

descriptive analysis.

Results:

A total of 44 victims (41 men, median (range) age 29 (22-34) years) with TAI who underwent surgical repair were recruited. Median (range) post-operative chest tube output was 700 (200-1100) ml necessitated transfusion in 5 (11.4%) of cases. Post-operative complications included transient renal failure (13.6%), pneumonia (6.8%), acute lung injury/distress syndrome (20.5%), sepsis (4.5%), wound infection (47.7%) and air leak (6.8%). No patient developed end stage renal failure or spinal cord injury. Median intensive care unit stay was 6 (4-30) days and in-hospital mortality was 9.1%.

Conclusion:

We found that the implementation of a standardized early goal directed hemodynamic control for the peri-operative management of patients with TAI reduces the post-operative morbidity and mortality after surgical repair.

A new aortic injury score predicts early rupture more accurately than clinical assessment

OBJECTIVE

The optimal timing for repair of a high-grade blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is uncertain. Delayed repair is common and associated with improved outcomes, but some lesions may rupture during observation. To determine optimal patient selection for appropriate management, we developed a pilot clinical risk score to evaluate aortic stability and predict rupture.

METHODS

Patients presenting in stable condition with Society for Vascular Surgery grade III or IV BTAI diagnosed on computed tomography (CT) were retrospectively reviewed. To determine clinical and radiographic factors associated with aortic rupture, patients progressing to aortic rupture (defined by contrast extravasation on CT or on operative or autopsy findings) were compared with those who had no intervention ≤48 hours of admission. A model targeting 100% sensitivity for rupture was generated and internally validated by bootstrap analysis. Clinical utility was tested by comparison with clinical assessment by surgeons experienced in BTAI management who were provided with CT images and clinical data but were blinded to outcome.

RESULTS

The derivation cohort included 18 patients whose aorta ruptured and 31 with stable BTAI. There was no difference in age, gender, injury mechanism, nonchest injury severity, blood pressure, or Glasgow Coma Scale on admission between patient groups. As dichotomous factors, admission lactate >4 mM, posterior mediastinal hematoma >10 mm, and lesion/normal aortic diameter ratio >1.4 on the admission CT were independently associated with aortic rupture. The model had an area under the receiver operator curve of .97, and in the presence of any two factors, was 100% sensitive and 84% specific for predicting aortic rupture. No aortic lesions ruptured in patients with fewer than two factors. In contrast, clinical assessment had lower accuracy (65% vs 90% total accuracy, P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

This novel risk score can be applied on admission using clinically relevant factors that incorporate patient physiology, size of the aortic lesion, and extent of the mediastinal hematoma. The model reliably identifies and distinguishes patients with high-grade BTAI who are at risk for early rupture from those with stable lesions. Although preliminary, because it is more accurate than clinical assessment alone, the score may improve patient selection for emergency or delayed intervention.

Conventional surgical repair of traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta

OBJECTIVE

Traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta is a life-threatening injury requiring urgent surgical intervention. Despite recent improvements in resuscitation and emergency operative techniques, the outcomes of patients with multiple injuries are still associated with a high mortality rate. We retrospectively examined the preoperative demographic data, associated complications and mortality rate of these patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We analyzed the data (1991-2009) of 18 patients with acute traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta. Most patients had rupture limited to the aortic isthmus and severe associated injuries in other organs. The aorta was repaired by direct suturing, patch plasty (n = 5; 27.7 %) or graft interposition (n = 9; 50 %).

RESULTS

The overall mortality rate was 33.3 %. All six patients who underwent emergency surgery within 2 h died, four intra-operatively and two postoperatively. The causes of the intra-operative mortality were uncontrollable hemorrhage and irreversible cardiac arrest due to penetrating injury of the thoracic aorta and intercostal arteries in three patients, and uncontrollable hemorrhage due to severe liver laceration in one. The surgical complications (42.8 %) were acute lung injury (n = 2), liver insufficiency (n = 2), acute renal failure (n = 1) and cerebral infarction (n = 1). No patients had postsurgical paraplegia. The mean period between arrival and treatment and the mean Injury Severity Score were significantly higher in group D than in group A.

CONCLUSION

To improve the outcome of traumatic thoracic aortic injury, the degree of multi-organ damage, the priority of treatment be evaluated accurately is important.

Seat belt injuries of the abdominal aorta in adults--case report and literature review

Blunt abdominal trauma with major vascular involvement is found to be rare. Although few series have been reported in the literature, the true incidence of blunt abdominal aortic injury is unknown. Different modalities of blunt trauma may occur among civilians with steering wheel and seat belt injury secondary to motor vehicle accident the most frequent. Mechanical forces produce variable patterns of injury; therefore, the onset of signs and symptoms can be different. Dissection and thrombosis of the abdominal aorta have been frequently described among seat-belted adult patients with major vascular involvement. The associated abdominal viscus and/or vertebral lesions must always be taken into account. Prompt diagnosis allows adequate surgical treatment. We present the case of a 66-year-old woman, restrained front passenger involved in a motor vehicle collision, who had small bowel transection, vertebral fractures, and aortic partial occlusion below inferior mesenteric artery with bilateral iliac artery involvement. Along with the case reported, the purpose of this study is to highlight and compare features and management of the previous cases described in the English literature.

Update on blunt thoracic aortic injury: fifteen-year single-institution experience

OBJECTIVES

Despite improvements in the management of blunt thoracic aortic injury, mortality remains high. We report our experience with blunt thoracic aortic injury at a level 1 trauma center over the past 15 years.

METHODS

Between January 1, 1997, and January 1, 2012, data on 338 patients who presented with suspected blunt thoracic aortic injury were entered into the University of Texas Medical School at Houston Trauma Center Registry. A total of 175 patients (52%) underwent thoracic aortic repair; 29 (17%) had open repair with aortic crossclamping, 77 (44%) had open repair with distal aortic perfusion, and 69 (39%) had thoracic endovascular aortic repair. Outcomes were determined, including early mortality, morbidity, length of stay, and late survival. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to compute adjusted estimates for the effects of the operative technique.

RESULTS

The early mortality for all patients with blunt thoracic aortic injury was 41% (139/338). Early mortality was 17% (27/175) for operative aortic interventions, 4% (3/69) for thoracic endovascular aortic repairs, 31% (11/29) for open repairs with aortic crossclamping, and 14% (11/77) for open repairs with distal aortic perfusion. Survival for thoracic endovascular aortic repair at 1 year and 5 years was 92% and 87%, respectively. Survival for open repair at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years was 76%, 75%, 72%, and 68%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Blunt thoracic aortic injury remains associated with significant early mortality. Delayed selective management, when applied with open repair with distal aortic perfusion and the use of thoracic endovascular aortic repair, has been associated with improved early outcomes. The long-term durability of thoracic endovascular aortic repair is unknown, necessitating close radiographic follow-up.

Open repair of blunt thoracic aortic injury remains relevant in the endovascular era

BACKGROUND

Thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) has been a major advance in the treatment of blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI), although many patients still undergo open repair. This study was undertaken to evaluate outcomes with open repair and TEVAR for BTAI.

STUDY DESIGN

A retrospective review of all patients with BTAI at a single Level I trauma center from 2001 through 2009 was performed. Patients were grouped according to treatment modality, ie, open repair, TEVAR, or medical management. Direct comparison using standard statistical methods was made between patients undergoing open repair and TEVAR since late 2006 when TEVAR began at our institution using standard statistical methods. Outcomes variables included mortality, paraplegia, length of stay, ICU stay, and ventilator requirements.

RESULTS

There were 69 patients in the study, with 36 (52.2%) undergoing open repair, 10 receiving TEVAR (14.5%), 10 patients managed medically (14.5%), and 13 (18.8%) who died during triage. Overall mortality in the pre-TEVAR era was 29.6%. Since the introduction of TEVAR, there have been 8 open repairs. Patients undergoing open repair were significantly younger (32 vs 58 years; p = 0.002) and had smaller aortic diameter (18 mm vs 24.5 mm; p < 0.001) than those undergoing TEVAR. Overall mortality since the introduction of TEVAR has dropped to 12.0% (p = 0.097).

CONCLUSIONS

TEVAR and open repair should be viewed as complementary rather than competing modalities for the treatment of BTAI. Having both available allows selection of the most appropriate management technique for each patient, with subsequent improvement in outcomes.

Endovascular repair of thoracic aortic injury: current thoughts and technical considerations

Thoracic aortic traumatic injury is a highly morbid event. Mortality and paraplegia rates after emergent open repair remain high. Now, however, thoracic aortic endografting for trauma (TAET) is commonly used. It is appealing due to reduction of operative stress for the multiply injured trauma victim. This minimizing of stress and risk is secondary to avoidance of thoracotomy, single-lung ventilation, aortic cross-clamping, and the more complex anesthetic techniques required. Early and midterm results from TAET delineate improved outcomes, yet access and aortic constraints continue to challenge TAET. Questions regarding longer-term durability of endografts in younger patients remain unanswered. Broader application of TAET within endovascular programs is challenged by appropriate imaging, operating suite inventories, and the logistics and personnel required for TAET. Currently developed thoracic endograft devices are not ideal for TAET due to platform size and graft diameter. This is changing, however, as new modifications have been developed and trials are ongoing. In light of these collective factors, the management paradigm for traumatic aortic injury is beginning to favor TAET.

Treating blunt aortic injuries with endografts: pros and cons of a meta-analysis

Modern management of blunt aortic injury (BAI) is based on evidence from mostly well-conducted meta-analyses as surrogates for prospective randomized controlled trials. There are several obvious pros and cons to this strategy. The advantages rest on the fact that it is unlikely that a prospective randomized trial comparing open surgical repair with endovascular repair will ever be conducted based on ethical grounds and the apparent survival advantage and reduced paraplegia rates associated with an endovascular approach; pooled data from high-volume studies provides for higher statistical power; and a well-conducted meta-analysis provides the ability to control for inter-study variation. The disadvantages of this approach are that meta-analyses are statistical examinations of scientific studies and not scientific studies in and of themselves; sources of bias cannot be controlled by the method of the analysis; and a heavy reliance on published studies can create exaggerated outcomes. Nonetheless, the studies reviewed in this article offer the best glimpse yet at the truth. The evidence grade to support endovascular over open repair for BAI is Level II (intermediate), which suggests that the described effect is plausible but is not quantified precisely or may be vulnerable to bias. The recommendation grade is B (provisional recommendation), which suggests that on balance of the evidence, endovascular repair for BAI is recommended with caution.

Traumatic aortic injury: computerized tomographic findings at presentation and after conservative therapy

OBJECTIVE

To determine the computerized tomographic (CT) findings in traumatic aortic injury (TAI) at presentation and after conservative management.

METHODS

Institutional review board-approved retrospective review of trauma registry during a 6-year period identified class 1 or 2 trauma patients with TAI. The CT findings were correlated with patient outcome.

RESULTS

Forty-eight of 3350 patients had TAI. Seven had TAI limited to the abdominal aorta. Twenty-nine of 48 had early (12) or delayed (17) aortic repair. Common abnormalities were pseudoaneurysms (69%) and intramural hematoma (IMH) (65%). Forty-one of 48 TAI were confirmed on endovascular imaging or surgery. Subsequent CT was available in those who had delayed repair (n = 9) or conservative management (10) and showed stable pseudoaneurysms with resolving IMH (n = 11), resolving IMH (n = 4), intimal flap (n = 2), aortic thrombus (n = 1), and dissection (n = 1).

CONCLUSIONS

Traumatic aortic injury is rare. It commonly involves thoracic aorta with pseudoaneurysm and IMH. Significant TAI in stable patients remains stable on follow-up imaging. Minor TAI may resolve with conservative therapy.