Total hip arthroplasties. Risk factors and prevention of iatrogenic vascular complications.

Vascular injuries during orthopaedic hip surgery apr pars. However, they mu st always be feared because they threaten life and limb. We present 11 vasc ular injuries observed over a 12-year period. Seven women and 4 men, treate d by elective surgery, presented 14 vascular injuries (6 arterial, 5 venous and 3 prosthetic vascular graft). Four injuries occurred during revision p rocedures. They were all operated as an emergency For ischaemic syndrome (6 cases) and/or haemorrhage (7 cases). Four patients (37 %) died and 3 devel oped sequelae, various directly attributable to the vascular injury. In the light of these cases, we tried to determine the various mechanisms of the injury and the orthopeadic and vascular risk factors. Preoperative detectio n and well defined therapeutic rules are very important For the prevention of these severe vascular accidents.