Endovascular Repair of Iatrogenic Inferior Vena Cava and Iliac Vein Injury: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVE: Iatrogenic injury to the large abdominopelvic veins can he highly morbid, and open surgical repair is technically challenging. Endovascular repair with covered stenting across the injured segment offers an alternative to open surgical management. We present a series of patients with operative injury to the inferior vena cava (IVC) and iliac veins who were treated utilizing an endovascular approach and review the available literature on this technique.

METHODS: A PubMed keyword and MeSH term search was performed, and titles were reviewed for relevance by the first author. Studies related to endovascular repair of iatrogenic injury to the IVC and iliac veins were then read in detail for possible inclusion in the review. Those deemed appropriate were further analyzed for interventional approach, stent type and size, technical success, post-procedural pharmacologic management, complications and surveillance strategy.

RESULTS: The initial search resulted in 6221 publications. A total of 17 met criteria for inclusion, all of which were case reports or series. Twenty-six patients were described as suffering iatrogenic injury to the IVC or iliac veins, treated with various types and sizes of stents. All cases achieved technical success with hemorrhage control. Procedural complications occurred in 15.4% of cases, including 3 cases of acute thrombus formation and 1 case of stenosis caudal to the initial stent edge requiring additional stenting. Two additional patients experienced stent occlusion in the surveillance period.

CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular repair of iatrogenic injury to the IVC and iliac veins can be an effective management option. However, due to limited data regarding this approach, many technical questions remain, including ideal size and type of stent graft, necessity and duration of post-procedural anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy and appropriate surveillance. Additionally, long term outcomes in this population have not yet been described.