ABSTRACT

We aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) for mesenteric bleeding following trauma.

From 2001 to 2015, 12 patients were referred to our interventional unit for mesenteric bleeding following trauma, based on clinical decisions and computed tomography (CT) images. After excluding one patient with no bleeding focus and one patient who underwent emergency surgery, a total of 10 patients (male:female ratio, 9:1; mean age, 52.1 years) who underwent super selective TAE of visceral arteries were included in this study. Technical and clinical success, complications, and 30-day mortality rate were analyzed.

In 10 patients who underwent TAE, the types of trauma were motor vehicle collision (n=6), fall (n=2), assault (n=1), and penetrating injury (n=1), and the bleeding arteries were in the pancreaticoduodenal arterial arcade (n=4), jejunal artery (n=3), colic artery (n=2), and sigmoid artery (n=1). N-butyl-2-cyanoacrylate (NBCA) (n=2), microcoils (n=2), and combinations of NBCA, microcoils, or gelatin sponge particles (n=6) were used as embolic agents. Technical success was achieved in all 10 patients, with immediate cessation of bleeding. Clinical success rate was 90% (9/10), and all patients were discharged with no further treatment required for mesenteric bleeding. However, one patient showed rebleeding 10 days later and underwent repeated TAE with successful result. There were no TAE-related ischemic complications such as bowel infarction. The 30-day mortality rate was 0%.

Our clinical experience suggests that TAE used to control mesenteric bleeding following trauma is safe and effective as a minimally invasive alternative to surgery.