Citation

Eun JC, Bronsert M, Hansen K, Moulton SL, Jazaeri O, Nehler M, Greenberg JI. Ann. Vasc. Surg. 2014; 29(1): 109-113.

Affiliation

University of Colorado Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora CO.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1016/j.avsg.2014.10.003

PMID

25449983

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Trauma is the leading cause of injury and death for individuals ages 1-44 years old. Up to eight percent of the U.S. population participates in winter sports and while vascular injuries are uncommon in these activities, little is published in this area. We sought to identify the incidence, injury patterns, and outcomes of vascular injuries resulting from winter sports trauma.

METHODS: Patients with winter sports trauma as well as the sub-set with vascular injuries were identified by accessing the National Trauma Databank querying years 2007-2010. Patients with and without vascular injuries were then compared. Admission variables included transport time, Emergency Department hypotension (systolic blood pressure <90), Glasgow Coma scale < or = 8, Injury Severity Score > or = 25, fractures, solid organ injury, and vascular injury. Outcomes were analyzed and associations with vascular injuries were determined.

RESULTS: 2,298 patients were identified with winter sports related trauma and 28 (1.2%) had associated vascular injuries. Overall, the top three injuries were head trauma (16.7%), thoracic vertebral fractures (5.5%), and lumbar vertebral fractures (5.1%). The most common associated vascular injures were to the popliteal artery (17.7%), splenic artery (14.7%), and brachial blood vessels (14.7%). In the entire cohort, 1 patient (0.04%) suffered an amputation and 15 patients (0.7%) died. There were no amputations in the vascular injury group. Mortality was 0.6% in patients without a vascular injury compared to 7.1% of those with a vascular injury (p=0.01).

CONCLUSIONS: While vascular injury is an uncommon associated finding in winter sports trauma, it is associated with a significant increase in mortality. These findings highlight the need for rapid identification of traumatic vascular injuries, which predicts worse overall outcomes in this patient population.

Language: en