Endovascular treatment of lower limb penetrating arterial traumas.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of percutaneous arterial embolization in patients with penetrating peripheral arterial trauma.


METHODS
Twelve patients with penetrating peripheral arterial trauma were treated with percutaneous arterial embolization between 2002 and 2007. All injuries were secondary to penetrating stab wounds. Active bleeding (eight patients), recurrent bleeding episodes (one patient), persistent pain and mass (one patient), leg edema, claudication, swelling (one patient), local hyperemia, and pain (one patient) were the presenting symptoms. Microcatheter systems were used for catheterization. We used n-butyl cyanoacrylate mixture as the embolizing agent in all patients.


RESULTS
On angiograms the inferior gluteal artery (one patient), internal pudendal artery (one patient), perforating branch of the profundal femoral artery (six patients), superficial femoral artery (one patient), peroneal artery (two patients), and anterior tibial artery (one patient) were found to be injured. In all patients, the source of arterial bleeding could be reached, and a safe embolization was achieved. Nontarget embolization due to backflow of n-butyl cyanoacrylate mixture was detected in two patients and inguinal hematoma at the puncture site occurred in one patient.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that embolization-particularly n-butyl cyanoacrylate embolization-is technically feasible in patients with penetrating peripheral arterial trauma.
Department of Radiology, Erciyes University Medical Faculty, Kayseri 38039, Turkey. emavili@erciyes.edu.tr
Ertugrul
E
Mavili
Halil
H
Donmez
Nevzat
N
Ozcan
Yigit
Y
Akcali
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D000792:Angiography; D001158:Arteries / Q000293:injuries*; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015641:Radiography, Interventional; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*