Transcatheter Arterial Embolization of Spontaneous Soft Tissue Hematomas: A Systematic Review

Background Severe spontaneous soft tissue hematomas (SSTH) are usually treated with transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) although only limited retrospective studies exist evaluating this treatment option. The aim of this study was to systematically assess the efficacy and safety of TAE for the management of SSTH. Methods Medline, EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to July 2017 using MeSH headings and a combination of keywords. Eligibility was restricted to original studies with patients suffering from SSTH treated with TAE. Patients with traumatic hematomas or who were treated with solely conservative or surgical management were excluded. For each publication, clinical success based on the control of the bleed, rebleeding rates and complications (including mortality) was collected, as well as technical details. Results Sixty-three studies met the inclusion criteria, with an aggregate total of 267 patients. Follow-up extended from 1 day to 10 years. Bleeding was mainly localized to the iliopsoas ( n = 113/267, 42.3%) and anterior abdominal wall ( n = 145/266, 54.7%). When information was available, 81.0% ( n = 158/195) of patients were on anticoagulant therapy prior to the bleeding episode. Initial stabilization with control of the bleed was obtained in 93.1% ( n = 242 patients, n = 60 studies). The most common embolic materials were coils ( n = 129, 54.4%). Rebleeding was reported in 25 patients (9.4%). Only two embolization complications were reported (0.7%). The 30-day mortality was 22.7% ( n = 42/1857). Conclusion TAE represents a safe and effective procedure in the management of SSTH. We present a management algorithm based on these data, but further studies are needed to address the knowledge gap.