Blood vessel injury
About Blood vessel injury
Traumatic injuries that damage an artery or vein. These injuries can be very serious and result in life threatening bleeding. Lacerations, knife wounds, and gunshot wounds are the most common cause of blood vessel damage. Treatment is dependent on the location of the injury. Larger arteries and arteries feeding important areas need emergent repair to prevent death of the tissue the artery was feeding. In general veins are not sewn back together unless they are large.Symptoms
Pulsatile swelling of the wound, excessive bleeding from the wound, extensive swelling, pale white color of the injured area, large areas of bruising.Tests & Diagnostics
A history and exam will be done. The blood vessel injury can sometimes be seen by directly examining the wound. Special x-rays can be done to identify the injury to the artery or vein. The following exams may be used: angiogram, venogram, CT angiogram, and/or MRA.Common tests: Angiogram, CT angiogram, MR angiogram.
Conventional treatment summary
Treatment depends on the area that is injured. Some blood vessels do not need repair. Large arteries or arteries that supply important areas will need surgical repair. The surgeon can directly sew the ends of the artery together or use a graft to repair the artery.Medical specialties
Vascular Surgery · Vascular and Interventional Radiology
This page is educational content, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment of Blood vessel injury.