BACKGROUND: Injuries of inferior vena cava (IVC) require immediate and definitive action. Our objective is to evaluate the incidence, the clinical findings and the operative approach to IVC injuries. METHODS: We retrospectively studied 76 patients with IVC injuries treated in two Emergency Hospitals of Manaus, AM, Brazil, from January 1997 to July 2002. Mechanisms of injuries, mortality, hemodynamic status, penetrating abdominal trauma index (PATI), intraoperative findings and surgical approach were among assessed data. RESULTS: Fourty-nine patients (65%) had stab wounds, 26 (34%) gunshot wounds, and one had blunt abdominal trauma. Fourty-one (54%) patients survived. Almost all patients entered the emergency room awake, although 40% were hypotensive (systolic blood pressure < 70 mmHg), and the penetrating abdominal trauma index average was above 40. At laparotomy, active retroperitoneal bleeding or an expanding retroperitoneal hematoma were detected in all cases. Caval injury was retro-hepatic in 21 patients, and infrahepatic in the other 55. The prevailing surgical approach was lateral repair in 65 patients. Atrial-caval shunting was tried in six patients, with only three survivals. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that IVC injury remains a highly lethal injury and there is a close relationship with urban violence. This study emphasizes that successful outcome depends on prompt volume restoration, avoidance of hypothermia and a stratified selective surgical approach.
Vena cava, inferior; Vena cava, inferior; Wounds; penetrating
