Utilization of angiography and embolization for abdominopelvic trauma: 14 years' experience at a level I trauma center

Factors associated with survival in adult trauma patients undergoing angiography with and without embolization across trauma centers in the United States

INTRODUCTION

Interventional angiography is increasingly utilized in trauma management for various injuries. Despite published guidelines by the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma on the use of angiography, limited data exist on factors associated with outcomes in angiography procedures. This study examines factors associated with survival to hospital discharge in trauma patients undergoing angiography with or without embolization across US trauma centers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This retrospective observational study used the National Trauma Data Bank 2017 dataset and included adult trauma patients who underwent conventional angiography with or without embolization. A bivariate analysis was done to compare patients' characteristics by outcome (survived/died), followed by a multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine factors associated with survival to hospital discharge after adjusting for important confounders.

RESULTS

In the included sample of 4242 patients, median age was 41 years and male gender was predominant (72.6%). Overall mean time to angiography was 263.77 ± 750.19 min. Factors positively associated with survival included treatment at large facilities with over 401 beds (OR = 2.170; 95% CI, [1.277-3.685]), helicopter ambulance/fixed-wing transport (OR = 1.736; 95% CI, [1.325-2.275]), mild Glasgow Coma Scale (OR = 7.621; 95% CI, [5.868-9.898]) and moderate Glasgow Coma Scale (OR = 3.127; 95% CI, [2.080-4.701]), SBP ≥ 90 (OR = 1.516; 95% CI [1.199-1.916]), and spleen as embolization site (OR = 1.647; 95% CI [1.119-2.423]).

CONCLUSION

This nationwide study identified variables associated with survival in trauma patients who underwent angiography. These variables can serve in creating standardized risk stratification tools that could be incorporated into evidence-based guidelines for angiography candidates.

Review of Multimodality Imaging of Renal Trauma

Blunt trauma accounts for more than 95% of traumatic renal injury and results from shear forces from rapid acceleration or deceleration and/or collision against the spine or ribs. The use of multiphasic contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) has proven pivotal in the evaluation and management of traumatic kidney injury, and CT imaging features provide the basis for nonsurgical staging. This article describes the epidemiology and mechanisms of blunt and penetrating traumatic renal injury and reviews the range of findings from various imaging modalities, with a particular emphasis on contrast-enhanced CT.

Liver trauma: WSES 2020 guidelines

Liver injuries represent one of the most frequent life-threatening injuries in trauma patients. In determining the optimal management strategy, the anatomic injury, the hemodynamic status, and the associated injuries should be taken into consideration. Liver trauma approach may require non-operative or operative management with the intent to restore the homeostasis and the normal physiology. The management of liver trauma should be multidisciplinary including trauma surgeons, interventional radiologists, and emergency and ICU physicians. The aim of this paper is to present the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) liver trauma management guidelines.

Iatrogenic hemobilia: imaging features and management with transcatheter arterial embolization in 30 patients

PURPOSE

We aimed to evaluate the imaging features of computed tomography (CT) and angiography and the efficacy of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) in patients with hemobilia of different iatrogenic causes.

METHODS

Thirty patients with hemobilia were divided into two groups according to their iatrogenic causes, i.e., group 1, 11 patients (36.7%) with transhepatic intervention and group 2, 19 patients (63.3%) with surgical procedures in the hilar area. Seventeen patients (56.7%) underwent abdominal contrast-enhanced CT before selective angiography. Polyvinyl alcohol particles, gelatin sponges, and coils were used for TAE. Data from the two groups were compared using Fisher's exact test and the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS

Contrast-enhanced CT showed a hematoma, extravasation of contrast material, and pseudoaneurysm. The bleeding source was determined by angiographic features in all patients, which were not significantly different between the two groups (P = 0.127), and pseudoaneurysm was the most common. The embolic material and number of coils used for TAE were significantly different between the two groups (P < 0.001), but the embolization was technically successful in all patients. The clinical success rate of the first embolization was 100% in group 1 vs. 84.2% in group 2. The overall clinical success rate of TAE was 100% in all patients. The complication rate was 63.6% in group 1 vs. 68.4% in group 2 (P = 1.000).

CONCLUSION

CT was useful in diagnosing hemobilia, and angiograms enabled determination of the bleeding source. Pseudoaneurysm was one of the most common angiographic features. TAE was successfully performed with different embolic materials on the basis of the iatrogenic cause and bleeding location.

Trends and Outcomes in the Operative Management of Traumatic Vascular Injuries: A Comparison of Open versus Endovascular Approaches

Controversy exists in vascular trauma regarding the best method of treatment—open versus endovascular techniques. Little has been published on this complex topic. Patients from 2005 to 2013 at a Level I trauma center with vascular injuries were identified via a prospectively trauma registry. Patient data, injury type/severity, treatment, and 30-day outcomes were obtained from the trauma registry and the chart review. Adverse events (limb loss, major disability, and death) were outcomes of interest. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify predictors of adverse events. In all, 346 patients were included (median age 34, range 1–93 years). Median Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 10(1–59). Endovascular repairs (n = 52) increased from 0 per cent (2005) to 32 per cent (2013), and demonstrated equivalent outcomes to open approaches (P = 0.24). On multi-variate analysis, higher ISS (P = 0.001), increasing age (P = 0.01), and lower extremity injuries (P = 0.001) were associated with adverse outcomes across the entire series. Endovascular approaches were most commonly used in vascular injuries of the chest/abdomen (39 of 52, 75% of all endovascular procedures in the series, P < 0.001), older patients(P = 0.003), blunt injury mechanism (P < 0.001), and patients with a higher ISS at presentation (P < 0.001). In conclusion, this large series, the use of endovascular procedures increased over time, and was associated with equivalent outcomes to open approaches, despite their higher usage in older patients, those with chest/abdominal injuries, and those with a higher ISS at presentation. Although these retrospective results are encouraging, further prospective study into the role of endovascular therapies in the treatment of vascular injuries.

Trading scalpels for sheaths: Catheter-based treatment of vascular injury can be effectively performed by acute care surgeons trained in endovascular techniques

BACKGROUND

The skill set of the acute care surgeon can be expanded by formal training. We report the first series of traumatic vascular injury (TVI) treated by acute care surgeons trained in endovascular techniques (ACSTEV).

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed patients admitted to our trauma center with TVI over 5 months who survived for more than 24 hours and had catheter diagnosis and/or therapy by ACSTEV. Demographics, admission data, and outcomes were reviewed. Follow-up ranged from 0 day to 150 days.

RESULTS

Most patients were male (63%) and sustained blunt mechanism (91%). Mean (SD) age was 48.2 (21.9) years, and mean (SD) Injury Severity Score was 32.1 (11.8). Mean (SD) admission systolic blood pressure, heart rate, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score were 126.12 (30.4) mm Hg, 101.21 (28.2) beats per minute, and 10.8 (4.73), respectively. Forty-six patients underwent 48 endovascular procedures for TVI: 32 angiograms and 16 venograms were obtained. Two pelvic angiograms and one aortic arch angiogram were negative and required no treatment. One superficial femoral artery arteriogram showed minor luminal defects requiring anticoagulation only. Pseudoaneurysms were found in 17 vessels, vessel truncation in 4, active extravasation in 5, stenosis in 1, and dissection with thrombus in 1. Four patients had resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta performed before catheter intervention for pelvic hemorrhage. Procedures included aortic repair (4), pelvic embolization (13), splenic embolization (5), lumbar artery embolization (1), bronchial artery embolization (1), profunda artery embolization (1), common carotid artery stent (1), celiac artery stent (1), inferior vena cava filter placement (14) and retrieval (2), and pharmacomechanical thrombolysis (1). Treatment material included coils (12), Gelfoam (4), and nitinol plugs (3). No procedural or device-related complications occurred. Mortality was 14.7% unrelated to any endovascular procedure. One patient had repeat coil embolization of a pelvic pseudoaneurysm on postoperative Day 7.

CONCLUSION

ACSTEV can safely treat TVI with good success. We performed nearly 10 procedures per month underscoring the role of the ACSTEV for training and care of TVI in a high-volume trauma center.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Therapeutic study, level V.

Pelvic angioembolization in trauma - Indications and outcomes

INTRODUCTION

Pelvic stabilization with angioembolization (AE) is steadily supplanting operative management for the treatment of pelvic hemorrhage in trauma. We aimed to provide a brief review of the indications, effectiveness and complications associated with AE for pelvic injuries.

METHODS

We conducted a literature search using the terms "trauma," "angioembolization," and "pelvis" limited to studies published in the English language. Abstracts and full text were manually reviewed to identify suitable articles.

RESULTS

The current brief review is based on content from articles published in the last 10 years related to pelvic AE for retroperitoneal hemorrhage after trauma.

DISCUSSION

Pelvic injuries often require complex management because the high energy transfer causes concomitant injuries. Outcomes for hemodynamically unstable patients may be better with AE than with operative management.

CONCLUSION

Pelvic AE is the most effective intervention for management of hemorrhage associated with pelvic fracture in both hemodynamically stable and unstable patients. It can be used as the primary definitive intervention or in conjunction with operative management in the setting of concomitant intra-abdominal injury.

The role of interventional radiology in abdominopelvic trauma

The management of trauma patients has evolved in recent decades owing to increasing availability of advanced imaging modalities such as CT. Nowadays, CT has replaced the diagnostic function of angiography. The latter is considered when a therapeutic option is hypothesized. Arterial embolization is a life-saving procedure in abdominopelvic haemorrhagic patients, reducing relevant mortality rates and ensuring haemodynamic stabilization of the patient. Percutaneous transarterial embolization has been shown to be effective for controlling ongoing bleeding for patients with high-grade abdominopelvic injuries, thereby reducing the failure rate of non-operative management, preserving maximal organ function. Surgery is not always the optimal solution for stabilization of a patient with polytrauma. Mini-invasivity and repeatability may be considered as relevant advantages. We review technical considerations, efficacy and complication rates of hepatic, splenic, renal and pelvic embolization to extrapolate current evidence about transarterial embolization in traumatic patients.