title: Truncal vascular injury--factors influencing survival.
abstract: During the 10-year period ending June 1982, 219 patients were treated for 269 injuries to the major vessels of the abdominal and thoracic cavities, with 28% morbidity and 32% mortality. One hundred eighty patients (82%) had 377 associated injuries consisting primarily of damage to the small intestine (79), liver (45), and large intestine (34). Factors associated with an increased mortality included: more than three associated injuries; two or more nonvascular complications; more than two vessels injured; admission to ER in shock; injury to abdominal aorta or inferior vena cava; and injury to the porta hepatis. The majority of deaths (73%) were due to acute blood loss and irreversible shock. Factors unrelated to acute blood loss and shock had minimal effects on survival.
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000098:blood supply; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000293:injuries; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000293:injuries*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007420:Intestine, Large / Q000293:injuries; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000293:injuries; D008099:Liver / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012769:Shock / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D013909:Thorax / Q000098:blood supply; D013997:Time Factors; D014187:Transportation of Patients; D014682:Vena Cava, Inferior / Q000293:injuries; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery