PENETRATING INJURIES OF THE ILIAC ARTERIES - A SOUTH-AFRICAN EXPERIENCE

Background. We did a retrospective study of 62 patients with penetrati ng injuries of the iliac arteries. Methods. The cause of injury was gu nshot wound in 85.5% and stabbing in 14.5%. The arterial repair was ac hieved by various means: lateral arteriorrhaphy, end-to-end anastomosi s, and polytetrafluoroethylene interposition grafts. Results. There wa s a 42% mortality rate from exsanguination or secondary coagulopathy d irectly related to the arterial injury. Persistent shock, resuscitativ e thoracotomy, free intraperitoneal hemorrhage, and the number of vasc ular injuries were directly related to mortality. Conclusions. A high index of suspicion, aggressive resuscitation, and prompt surgery are n ecessary to improve the chances of surviving this ominous injury.