Vascular Trauma treatment
What is it and what causes it?
Vascular trauma occurs when a blood vessel sustains either a blunt injury or a penetrating injury.
There are two main types of vascular trauma:
Blunt injury – This type of trauma occurs when an artery or vein is crushed, pinched, twisted or stretched, but not pierced.
Penetrating injury – This type of trauma occurs when an artery or vein is torn, punctured or otherwise pierced.
Vascular trauma can lead to complications such as bleeding and blood clotting (thrombosis). When this happens, the resulting lack of circulation (ischemia) can cause even more complications to develop, including nerve and muscle damage.
Some of the most common causes of vascular trauma include:
- Car and bicycle accidents
- Falls
- Accidents within the home or the workplace
- Athletic injuries
- Violent injuries such as stab wounds and gunshot wounds
What causes it and how is it treated?
Some of the most common causes of vascular trauma include:
- Car and bicycle accidents
- Falls
- Accidents within the home or the workplace
- Athletic injuries
- Violent injuries such as stab wounds and gunshot wounds
Treatment for vascular trauma will depend on the type of injury sustained, with more severe injuries sometimes requiring surgery. This might involve widening the injured blood vessel to restore blood flow or inserting a stent.
Although mild vascular trauma will often heal on its own, it’s still important to consult with a doctor. This is because vascular trauma that heals incompletely or improperly can cause permanent weakness in the affected blood vessel and make the vessel more vulnerable to injuries in the future.
