Clinical issue: In recent years interventional radiology has significantly changed the management of injured patients with multiple trauma. Currently nearly all vessels can be reached within a reasonably short time with the help of specially preshaped catheters and guide wires to achieve bleeding control of arterial und venous bleeding.
Standard treatment/treatment innovations: Whereas bleeding control formerly required extensive open surgery, current interventional methods allow temporary vessel occlusion (occlusion balloons), permanent embolization and stenting.
Diagnostic work-up: In injured patients with multiple trauma preinterventional procedural planning is performed with the help of multidetector computed tomography whenever possible.
Performance: Interventional radiology not only allows minimization of therapeutic trauma but also a considerably shorter treatment time.
Achievements: Interventional bleeding control has developed into a standard method in the management of vascular trauma of the chest and abdomen as well as in vascular injuries of the upper and lower extremities when open surgical access is associated with increased risk. Additionally, pelvic trauma, vascular trauma of the superior thoracic aperture and parenchymal arterial lacerations of organs that can be at least partially preserved are primarily managed by interventional methods.
Practical recommendations: In an interdisciplinary setting interventional radiology provides a safe and efficient means of rapid bleeding control in nearly all vascular territories in addition to open surgical access.