Vascular trauma secondary to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures

Attention has recently been focused on large numbers of arterial injuries resulting from military and civilian violence. Limited recognition has been given to the increasing number of vascular injuries associated with diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Although the relative incidence of iatrogenic trauma remains small, an awareness of these injuries and methods of management is mandatory if complications are to be prevented. Eighty-two patients with vascular injuries, 90 per cent of which were arterial, secondary to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures have been treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center over an eight year period beginning in 1966. Early diagnosis and rapid surgical correction are emphasized. There were no failures of repair or operative mortality related to surgical corrections. This experience has been compared and contrasted with other reports of vascular trauma.