Interventional Radiology Guidelines for Trauma

Background: Trauma is among the leading causes of death worldwide, especially among younger individuals. Among trauma victims, uncontrolled bleeding is the most common cause of death. For that reason, rapid recognition and timely hemorrhage control are vitally important, so that interventional radiology (IR) has become increasingly important in their care. Objective: To outline principles and practices for the integration of IR into trauma care. Discussion: 3 key points are elaborated: at Level I trauma centers, interventional radiologists ought to be imbedded and integrated into trauma teams with 24/7 availability. Level II or III centers require structured IR access or transfer protocols. Whole-body contrast-enhanced CT should be performed in stable trauma patients, followed by immediate embolization if active bleeding is detected. Standardized protocols and materials must be in place to ensure rapid and effective embolization in trauma-related hemorrhage. The study describes avail more...