Nonoperative management of traumatic suprahepatic inferior vena cava pseudoaneurysms

Imaging in traumatic injury to the inferior vena cava

Inferior vena cava (IVC) injury is a rare but serious consequence of trauma. It presents with high scores on trauma assessment scales and is often life threatening. Factors that contribute to poor survival include delay and difficulty in diagnosis due to non-specific clinical features. As it is a relatively rare entity, imaging in IVC injury is not well described in the literature. As radiologists, it is vital that features of potential IVC injury are recognised promptly and findings relayed to the treating clinician in a timely manner to improve survival and reduce the risk of possible complications. Imaging features that should alert radiologists to IVC injury include contour abnormalities, active extravasation, pseudoaneurysm, and pericaval haematoma. Trauma to the IVC is associated with significant complications. These include exsanguination and refractory shock in the acute period while in the longer term, thrombosis can develop with potential for subsequent pulmonary embolism. Additionally, there are complications that may develop post-surgically including further haemorrhage, IVC stenosis, and infection. We review the spectrum of imaging findings in traumatic IVC injury, which are exemplified with cases from our practice. Furthermore, we discuss important factors to consider during interpretation and the challenges that a radiologist may encounter when making the diagnosis.

Treatment strategies for inferior vena cava aneurysms

OBJECTIVE

An inferior vena cava (IVC) aneurysm is a rare but potentially life-threatening entity. We successfully embolized an IVC aneurysm in a patient with history of blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome, a rare syndrome with multiple venous malformations. This new case was added to a literature review of previously reported cases, to analyze the management algorithm.

METHODS

A PubMed search for all English-language articles and abstracts of IVC aneurysm were conducted. A comprehensive descriptive analysis, including etiology, presentation, classification, comorbidities, and treatment options of our case joining all previously published cases, is presented and discussed.

RESULTS

Including our new case, a total of 74 (44 males) IVC aneurysms were analyzed. The average age was 39.0 ± 21.1 years (range, 0.4-89 years). Forty-nine (66.2%) were symptomatic; common symptoms include abdominal or back pain (24/74, 32.4%) and leg swelling or heaviness (20/74, 27.0%). Nineteen (19/59, 33.2%) were complicated with vena cava thrombosis, and 14 (14/59, 23.7%) were complicated with deep venous thrombosis of lower extremities. Thirty-two (43.2%) accepted surgical or endovascular intervention. There were 26 type I, 13 type II, 31 type III, and 4 type IV aneurysms. In type I group, 25 of 26 were treated conservatively, 2 deaths were reported. In type II group, 5 of 13 accepted conservative treatment. In type III group, 9 of 31 accepted conservative treatment, and 1 death was reported. In type IV group, 3 of 4 accepted conservative treatment, and 1 death was reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Conservative management can be conducted in type I and type IV groups with close surveillance. For type II and III groups, considering the high incidence of vena cava thrombosis and risk of rupture, more active treatment should be considered.

Contemporary management and prognosis of great vessels trauma

BACKGROUND

Great vessel trauma (GVT), which is defined as trauma to the aorta or vena cava, remains one of the most challenging injuries to treat and has a high mortality rate despite advances in modern medicine. Additionally, the optimal management of GVT is controversial. In this study, we review the incidence, management, and outcome of GVT, identify the current status and prognostic factors of GVT, and compare treatment outcomes.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective, single-center, cohort study of patients with GVT in a Level I trauma center from August 2008 to December 2013. We retrieved demographic data, physical and imaging findings, injury severity score (ISS), treatment choice, length of hospital stay, and mortality. We analyzed the risks of adverse outcomes and mortality.

RESULTS

The seventy-four patients in this cohort had a mean age of 41.6 (SD 17.7) years and a high mortality rate of 27%. The prognostic factors of survival with GVT included male gender, lower ISS, higher GCS, higher SBP and DBP and vena caval injuries. We also determined that vena caval injury is the main factor that can predict mortality.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, GVT is relatively rare but often lethal in clinical practice. Patient survival depends on injury severity and the shock status grade. Aggressive resuscitation and treatment play important roles in survival. The coordination of different levels of surgical expertise and the application of novel treatment methods are required to improve clinical outcomes for patients with vena caval injuries.