Review of the Management of Blunt Thoracic Aortic Injuries According to Current Treatment Recommendations

BackgroundBlunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is associated with high mortality. Recent Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS) guidelines recommend repair of all but SVS grade I injuries. This study's objective was to retrospectively determine guideline adherence at the authors' trauma center, and its impact on mortality.MethodsA retrospective review of the trauma database at the authors' university-affiliated trauma center identified and graded all BTAIs between 1999 and 2011. Patient demographics, treatment, and outcomes were recorded.ResultsImaging was available for 52 of 59 (85.2%) patients with BTAI. For these 52 patients, injury distribution was: 14 (27.0%) grade 1; 1 (1.9%) grade 2; 35 (67.3%) grade 3; and 2 (3.8%) grade 4. Nonoperative management was used for 92.8% (13), 100% (1), 34.3% (12), and 0% of grade 1, 2, 3, and 4 injuries, respectively. The operatively managed grade I injury was initially misclassified as grade 3. He was lost to follow-up after discharge. Of the 12 patients with nonoperatively managed grade 3 injuries, 7 (58.3%) died before consideration of endovascular repair and another died early secondary to brain injury. The remaining 4 (11.4%) with nonoperatively managed grade 3 injuries survived to discharge but were lost to follow-up. For grade 3 injuries, endovascular repair was significantly associated with decreased mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.10; 0.02–0.53; P = 0.007). Exclusion of those with presentation-day mortality negated this significant association (OR, 0.84; 0.07–9.68; P = 1.00).ConclusionsMinor deviation (9.6%) from guidelines did not result in additional morbidity/mortality. However, a high rate of loss to follow-up limits conclusions. The mortality reduction seen with endovascular repair for grade 3 injury is inflated by patients who die before repair is considered in the nonoperative group. Larger prospective studies with appropriate inclusion and exclusion criteria and improved follow-up are needed to determine the consequences of selective nonoperative management of these injuries.