Background: The aim was to study the nature of iatrogenic vascular injuries (IVIs) associated with postoperative death within 30 days.
Methods: Patients who had undergone vascular surgery for IVIs and were reported prospectively to the Swedish national vascular registry during 1987-2008 were identified. They were cross-checked with the national population registry. Those who died within 30 days of surgery were studied regarding case records and death certificates.
Results: A total of 56 patients with postoperative death within 30 days after IVI were identified. Among them, 52 case records were retrieved (93 %). In 24 cases the IVIs were caused by puncture during endovascular procedures (13 hemorrhage, 11 occlusive thrombosis), 11 by penetrating trauma during open surgery, 6 by occlusion after external compression, 6 by percutaneous accidental arterial puncture. Main symptoms were peripheral ischemia (19/52, 37 %), external bleeding (14, 27 %), and hypovolemic shock without external bleeding (10, 19 %). Main specialties involved were interventional radiology (n = 18), general surgery (n = 9), and interventional cardiology (n = 8). Overall, 22 (42 %) were avoidable, and only 13 (25 %) underwent autopsy. Within 2 weeks, 36 patients (69 %) were dead. Also, there was a higher proportion with uncertain correlation between IVI and death.
Conclusions: Interventional radiology, general surgery, and cardiology are the main specialities involved in IVIs with lethal outcome. Not all fatalities after IVI are attributable to the injury itself, but almost half of the injuries were considered avoidable.