Vascular injury during spinal surgery

Key points: (a) Iatrogenic vascular injury is a rare but well recognized complication of spinal surgery; (b) The most serious injuries involve the aorta and its major branches; (c) Vascular injuries following spinal surgery can present early or late; (d) Early presentation usually involves intraoperative hemorrhage and may be associated with hemodynamic instability; (e) Injuries that present late include pseudoaneurysms and arteriovenous fistulae; (f) Arteriography– traditional, CT or MRI angiography– should be used to diagnose the injury and define relevant vascular anatomy; (g) Therapy may require surgery or interventional techniques.
The following core competencies are addressed in this article: Medical knowledge, Patient care.
Republished with permission from: Reilly EF, Weger NS, Stawicki SP. Vascular injury during spinal surgery. OPUS 12 Scientist 2008;2(2):7-10.