Vascular trauma secondary to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures: 1974 through 1982. A comparative review

One-hundred nineteen patients with 125 iatrogenic vascular injuries requiring surgical intervention were treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center from 1974 through 1982. This experience was compared with that from 1966 through 1973 [1]. A decrease in the proportion of cases resulting from cardiac catheterization was partially offset by an increase in injuries from invasive monitoring and injuries from percutaneous transluminal dilation procedures. A threefold increase in cases resulting from urologic surgery was related to the evolution of an aggressive approach toward retroperitoneal metastatic tumor. Over half of the arterial injuries are now iliofemoral in location because of the routine use of the femoral approach for angiographic and cardiac catheterization procedures. The need for complex reconstruction in addition to thrombectomy increased fourfold. Delayed surgical intervention was a factor in 9 of the 12 patients with permanent disability. There was no death attributable to vascular reconstruction.