Silent Rupture in the Inferior Vena Cava: A Complication Not to Be Ignored in the Presence of a Segment I Hydatid Cyst

The presence of a cysto-caval fistula is a serious and rare complication of hepatic hydatid cysts, which can be life-threatening. We report a case of a 22-year-old patient with a segment I hepatic hydatid cyst discovered following scannographic imaging for non-specific abdominal pain. Management consisted of albendazole-based premedication for two weeks, followed by hepatic and venous resection surgery with prosthetic replacement after venous exclusion under extracorporeal circulation. To avoid hemorrhagic and/or embolic complications, it is essential to discuss rare cases of hydatid cysts with intimate contact or invasion of the vena cava in a multidisciplinary setting, to plan repair or reconstruction away from intraoperative surprises that are often fatal for benign pathology.

Traumatic Injury and Complete Ligation of the Inferior Vena Cava: A Case Report

This case report describes an occurrence of a traumatic injury to the inferior vena cava (IVC) secondary to penetrating trauma. A 37-year-old male patient presented to the emergency department (ED) after sustaining a stab wound to the mid back. The patient was transferred directly to the operating theatre (OT) and underwent an emergency exploratory laparotomy. A through-and-through IVC injury at the level of the entry to the liver bed was identified. Surgical repair was attempted but failed, followed by eventual IVC ligation. The patient was shifted to the intensive care unit postoperatively for damage control resuscitation while the abdomen was temporarily closed. He later required a re-look procedure for definitive treatment, after which he could mobilize without assistance and return home. This case highlights the different surgical approaches to an IVC injury and examines postoperative complications and their management.

Endovascular Repair of Iatrogenic Inferior Vena Cava and Iliac Vein Injury: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

OBJECTIVE

Iatrogenic injury to the large abdominopelvic veins can he highly morbid, and open surgical repair is technically challenging. Endovascular repair with covered stenting across the injured segment offers an alternative to open surgical management. We present a series of patients with operative injury to the inferior vena cava (IVC) and iliac veins who were treated utilizing an endovascular approach and review the available literature on this technique.

METHODS

A PubMed keyword and MeSH term search was performed, and titles were reviewed for relevance by the first author. Studies related to endovascular repair of iatrogenic injury to the IVC and iliac veins were then read in detail for possible inclusion in the review. Those deemed appropriate were further analyzed for interventional approach, stent type and size, technical success, post-procedural pharmacologic management, complications and surveillance strategy.

RESULTS

The initial search resulted in 6221 publications. A total of 17 met criteria for inclusion, all of which were case reports or series. Twenty-six patients were described as suffering iatrogenic injury to the IVC or iliac veins, treated with various types and sizes of stents. All cases achieved technical success with hemorrhage control. Procedural complications occurred in 15.4% of cases, including 3 cases of acute thrombus formation and 1 case of stenosis caudal to the initial stent edge requiring additional stenting. Two additional patients experienced stent occlusion in the surveillance period.

CONCLUSIONS

Endovascular repair of iatrogenic injury to the IVC and iliac veins can be an effective management option. However, due to limited data regarding this approach, many technical questions remain, including ideal size and type of stent graft, necessity and duration of post-procedural anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy and appropriate surveillance. Additionally, long term outcomes in this population have not yet been described.

Contemporary Management and Outcomes of Injuries to the Inferior Vena Cava: A Prospective Multicenter Trial From PROspective Observational Vascular Injury Treatment

INTRODUCTION

Injuries to the inferior vena cava (IVC), while uncommon, have a high mortality despite modern advances. The goal of this study is to describe the diagnosis and management in the largest available prospective data set of vascular injuries across anatomic levels of IVC injury.

METHODS

The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma PROspective Observational Vascular Injury Treatment (PROOVIT) registry was queried from November 2013 to January 2019. Demographics, diagnostic modalities, injury patterns, and management strategies were recorded and analyzed. Comparisons between anatomic levels were made using non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum statistics.

RESULTS

140 patients from 19 institutions were identified; median age was 30 years old (IQR 23-41), 75% were male, and 62% had penetrating mechanism. The suprarenal IVC group was associated with blunt mechanism (53% vs 32%, P = .02), had lower admission systolic blood pressure, pH, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and higher ISS and thorax and abdomen AIS than the infrarenal injury group. Injuries were managed with open repair (70%) and ligation (30% overall; infrarenal 37% vs suprarenal 13%, P = .01). Endovascular therapy was used in 2% of cases. Overall mortality was 42% (infrarenal 33% vs suprarenal 66%, P<.001). Among survivors, there was no difference in first 24-hour PRBC transfusion requirement, or hospital or ICU length of stay.

CONCLUSIONS

Current PROOVIT registry data demonstrate continued use of ligation extending to the suprarenal IVC, limited adoption of endovascular management, and no dramatic increase in overall survival compared to previously published studies. Survival is likely related to IVC injury location and total injury burden.

Blunt Aortic / Inferior Vena Cava Injury: Are We Consistently Providing the Same Level of Care?

Major vascular traumatic injuries have a higher pre-hospital and in-hospital mortality rate. The different mechanisms of injury and anatomy of the aorta and inferior vena cava (IVC) make the management a constant challenge to surgeons and clinicians. Blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) can occur at the thoracic or abdominal level, each of which possesses different considerations. Blunt traumatic inferior vena cava injury (BTIVCI) also has important diagnostic challenges since the lesion may not be as evident in the IVC as compared to the aorta, possibly due to lower caval pressures or the ability to self-tamponade from adjacent structures. Endovascular management has significantly increased in the past years, and despite an improvement in mortality, the approach to aortic and IVC injuries is not well standardized. Diagnostic imaging helps to classify the extent of the lesions and guide towards the best therapeutic options for each case. Conservative management, in some cases, has shown to reduce mortality, and close follow-up has proven good outcomes. Future research will provide more evidence to determine the best approach to BTAI and BTIVCI for better long-term outcomes. This article aims to provide an updated review of the current literature regarding diagnosis, classification, and management of BTAI and BTIVCI.

Successful repair of iatrogenic inferior vena cava injury during cardiac surgery

Iatrogenic injury to the supra-diaphragmatic inferior vena cava (IVC) is uncommon, but can lead to a potentially complicated situation. Injury to the IVC is encountered usually during re-operative and congenital surgery, but can occur during the course of routine cardiac surgery as well. Depending on the mechanism, injury may involve the anterior or posterior wall of the IVC. A short adherent IVC, redo surgery and female sex are incremental risk factors for injury. Control of bleeding, adequate exposure and prevention of extension of the tear are the important considerations at the time of repair. While a number of management techniques have been reported, we describe a very simple maneuver that allows swift control of bleeding, adequate exposure and minimizes the risk of further extension and a satisfactory repair.