Embolization of Trauma-Associated Pelvic Hemorrhage: Feasibility of Super-Selective Catheterization in Heavily Injured Patients as a Damage Control for Life-Threatening Pelvic Bleeding

Purpose To determine the efficacy of embolization with super-selective catheterization of the internal iliac arterial branches to treat heavily injured trauma patients with pelvic arterial bleeding. Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was performed using the medical records of 37 patients who underwent trans-arterial embolization for trauma-associated pelvic arterial hemorrhage in a regional trauma center between July 2010 and July 2013. In each patient, hemodynamic stability, embolization level, elapsed time for trans-arterial embolization, clinical outcome and embolization-related complications were evaluated. Comparison of elapsed time, and presence of complication was done according to embolization level. Results Transarterial embolization was conducted in 37 patients. Hemodynamic stability of each patient was classified into hemodynamic stable (n = 9), and unstable (n = 28). Twenty-nine of 37 patients underwent embolization after super-selective catheterization of more than 2nd order branch of internal iliac artery with a microcatheter, and 8 patients underwent proximal internal iliac artery embolization without super-selective catheterization. The mean elapsed procedure time for super-selective embolization (34.76 ± 20.0 minutes) was not significantly longer than proximal internal iliac artery embolization (33.87 ± 16.73 minutes, p = 0.215). Conclusion Pelvic arterial embolization with super-selective catheterization is a safe and feasible treatment for heavily injured patients with trauma-associated pelvic arterial bleeding.