Endovascular Management of Iatrogenic Arterial Injuries after Orthopedic Surgery of the Lower Limb

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of embolization, and to identify the contributory factors of failures in patients treated for iatrogenic arterial injuries after orthopedic surgery of the lower limb.

Materials and methods: In this retrospective study, data from patients treated from December 2008 to March 2022 for an arterial injury due to orthopedic surgery of the lower limb were analyzed from a single center. Demographic, clinical, and procedure-related data were collected. Perioperative and 30-day mortalities were estimated. Odds ratios and hazard ratios were calculated for several potential risk factors: age of >75 years, atherosclerosis, preexisting infection, urgency of surgery (trauma vs elective), previous surgery, multiple distant injuries, and multiple vascular supplies to the same injury.

Results: Eighty-six procedures performed on 78 patients were included in the study. The rates of technical and clinical success were 100% and 92.3%, respectively. Six (7.7%) patients were retreated because of persistent bleeding. The perioperative mortality was 1.3%, and the 30-day mortality rate was 7.7%. The presence of multiple arterial supplies, multiple injuries, previous surgery, presence of atherosclerosis, or a preexisting musculoskeletal infection resulted in a higher risk of retreatment.

Conclusions: Embolization is safe and effective in the management of iatrogenic arterial injuries after orthopedic surgery. The number of involved vascular territories was the most critical factor in determining technical failure.