Publication:

Trends and outcomes in the management of vascular trauma: institutional experience at a level 1 trauma center

Background Vascular trauma remains a complex area for clinicians and its management is constantly evolving. The increasing use of endovascular modalities and non-operative management has led to significant changes in the treatment of vascular trauma. The aim of this study was to identify the current management and outcomes of vascular trauma at a Level 1 trauma centre in Queensland, Australia and compare this with the current literature.

Methods All individuals who presented to GCUH with vascular injuries between January 2014 and December 2019 were identified from the GCUH trauma database. A descriptive analysis was performed on this cohort.

Results 213 patients were identified in our cohort; 51 were managed non-operatively, 121 were managed with open surgery, 37 were managed endovascularly and 4 had a combination of open and endovascular intervention.

Conclusions The proportion of vascular injuries managed with endovascular interventions or non-operatively has increased within the study period. This study shows that the trends of management for vascular trauma in Australia are consistent with recent international literature.