Endovascular management of vascular trauma

Abstract

There are an estimated 1.6 million traumatic injuries to vascular structures encountered every year at trauma centers across the country. The diagnosis and treatment of these injuries has been constantly evolving over the last 50 years. The advent of endovascular techniques, which were initially trialed and evaluated in the setting of atherosclerotic diseases, has revolutionized the way these injuries are managed. Certain injuries, such as blunt thoracic aortic injuries, are now almost exclusively treated via endovascular methods. In recent years, there has been a tremendous interest in applying endovascular technology to the treatment of vascular injuries in virtually every location in the body. With the expanded use of endovascular methods, complications have also been noted and are important for the trauma practitioner to be familiar with and identify. Herein, we will discuss the beginnings of endovascular techniques, its application, and complications.