Blunt Trauma

Inferior Epigastric Artery Injury (IEAI) following blunt trauma is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition. IEAI most commonly occurs as an iatrogenic injury (paracentesis, percutaneous drain, and laparoscopy). Not surprisingly there is an increased incidence of IEAI in patients with end-stage liver disease and coagulopathy. Non-iatrogenic injury is generally associated with penetrating or high-velocity blunt trauma e.g. complicating seatbelt injuries. We present a case of an injury to the pubic branch of the inferior epigastric artery following a low velocity fall in an older patient fully anti-coagulated on warfarin for pre-existing pulmonary emboli. An 80-year-old female presented to our Emergency Department (ED) one hour after a simple mechanical fall from standing at home onto her left side. She was transferred by ambulance to ED with severe left hip pain. Information from the paramedic crew indicated she had suffered repeated pre-syncopal episodes secondary to self-limiting transient episodes of hypotension en route to hospital. Brendan Morrissey, Inferior Epigastric Artery Injury Following Blunt Trauma Treated by Catheter Embolization

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Last date updated on September, 2024