APPROACH TO VASCULAR INJURY - wickUP
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Transcript APPROACH TO VASCULAR INJURY - wickUP
APPROACH TO
VASCULAR INJURY
BY DR SIKHOSANA
Mechanisms of injury
Penetrating
Blast
Blunt
iatrogenic
Pathophysiology
Missile damage is related to the velocity
Shotgun causes multiple perforations and
can cause embolization
Blunt trauma results from shearing or
distraction
Vascular spasm occurs at or distal to the
injury due to the unapposed sympathetic
constriction, it is not the cause for
ischaemia
Hard signs
Pulsatile bleeding
Expanding haematoma
Thrill or bruit
Pulse deficit
ischaemia
Soft signs
History of a significant bleed
Small non expanding haematoma
Associated nerve injury
Proximity to a major vessel
Unclear presentation
Thorax injuries- suspect if there is a
widened mediastinum, persistent shock,
large haemothorax
Intimal injury- the pulses maybe intact but
the exposed collagen is very thrombogenic
Indications for investigation: neck
Zone I and III
All gunshots
Suspicion post doppler of zone II
Mediastinum
Fracture of 1st,2nd ribs, sternum and scapula
Sterno clavicular joint dislocation
Trans axial gunshot
Widened mediastinum
Obliteration of aortic notch, left apical pleural
cap, aorto-pulmonary window
Left haemothorax
Oesophageal and tracheal deviation to the right
Depression of left main bronchus
Limbs
Multiple fractures
Multiple penetrating injuries
Shotgun
Knee/elbow dislocation
Degloving injury
Gunshot tract along the long axis of the
vessel
Imaging modalities
Duplex ultrasound
Angiography
CT angiography
MRA
Duplex ultrasound
Combines pulsed doppler and real time B
mode ultrasound imaging
Advantages- non invasive, cheap, no
radiation and sensitive
Locally used for neck zone II and single
peripheral injuries
Angiography
Gold standard imaging and there is a
therapeutic option, although it is invasive
Features suggestive of injuryextravasation of contrast, dilatation due to
intimal injury, narrowing, occlusion, filling
defects and AV fistula
CT angiography
Sensitivity and specificity of 90-100%
Advantage is that it is non invasive and
rapid
Disadvantages – lack of therapeutic
options, artifacts from foreign bodies,
streak artifacts simulating intimal tears
and the imaging of the arch not good on
CT
MRA
Has good sensitivity
Not ideal due to the time taken for the
investigation
Bleeding control
Pressure
balloon
Management
All vascular injuries should be repaired as
ASAP to avoid delayed bleeding,
compressive haematoma and limb
compromise
We do not believe in conservative
management of minimal arterial injuries
because the history is unpredictable, poor
patient compliance and too late
presentation of complications
Mangled extremity severity score
Skeletal/soft tissue injury
Limb ischaemia
Shock
Age
Score of >7 is accurate for predicting
eventual need for amputation
Diagnostic fasciotomy
More than 6 hours presentation
Prophylatic fasciotomy
Prolonged hypotension
Extensive soft tissue injury
Arterial and venous injury
Bone plus vascular injury
Delayed vascular repair
Inability to assess the patient, e.g.
head/spinal injury
Therapeutic fasciotomy
Increased tissue turgor
Extensive deep haematoma in the
presence of ischaemia
FASCIOTOMY BEFORE VASCULAR REPAIR
Principles of vascular repair
Digital or sponge pressure and catheter to
control bleeding
Prophylatic antibiotics
Access available to the groin for the graft
Wide exposure with proximal and distal control
Edges debrided to healthy intima
Embolectomy and flushing with heparin saline
Vascular repair before ortho
Adequate tissue cover of the vascular repair
Techniques of repair
Lateral – for wide calibre vessels
Patch- to prevent stenosis
End to end- single tethering stitch should
hold and < 4mm vessel should have
interrupted sutures
Interposition graft- NB similar size with
the injured vessel
Ligation- gross contamination and
unstable patient
Types of grafts
Vein- no cost and low infection rate
Arterial- same advantages as the vein but
the donor site may need to be replaced
Synthetic- ? Higher infection risk,
expensive and poor patency across joints
Causes of graft thrombosis
In flow
Anastomosis – intimal injury, adventitia,
tension, stenosis, poor graft
Run off
Primary amputation
Dead leg
2 or more dead compartments
Mangled limb
Endovascular
Embolisation
Stenting
Balloon occlusion
Conclusion
All vascular injuries should be repaired as
soon as they are identified
We do not have enough man power to
treat minimal injuries consevatively