PMID: 8810977

Issn Print: 1079-6061

Publication Date: 1996/09/01


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Injuries of the Abdominal Aorta and Inferior Vena Cava in Association with Thoracolumbar Fractures: A Lethal Combination

Raul Coimbra; Jack Yang; David B. Hoyt

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Excerpt

Blunt trauma to the abdominal aorta (AA) and inferior vena cava (IVC) is quite rare. Mortality is extremely high when there is an association of AA and IVC injuries, and most of these patients die at the scene or during transport to the hospital. [1-7]
The anatomic relationship between these vessels and the surrounding structures, such as the posterior musculature and the spine, is thought to provide protection against injuries after blunt trauma to the abdomen. [1-3,7] Few reports have described aortic injuries in association with a spinal fracture. To our knowledge, the association between AA and IVC injury and spinal fracture has not been reported in the literature.
In reviewing the major abdominal vascular injuries admitted to a Level 1 trauma center in San Diego County in the last 10 years, three cases that had such an association of injuries were identified. The rarity and the lethality of such a combination of injuries stimulated us to report these cases.
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