• J M Porter, R R Ivatury, S Z Islam, A Vinzons, and W M Stahl.
• Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, New York Medical College, Bronx 10451, USA.
• J Trauma. 1997 May 1;42(5):913-7; discussion 917-8.

Background And MethodsRecent reports have documented a reduced mortality from injuries to the inferior vena cava (IVC). Few reports, however, have addressed the follow-up of the repaired IVC. From January of 1984 to December of 1995, we prospectively collected data on all patients with IVC injuries at Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, an urban Level I trauma center.ResultsThere were 81 patients with IVC injuries: 60 gunshot wounds, 17 stab wounds, and four blunt injuries. Overall, 45 patients survived (56%). Excluding those who arrived without vital signs and those who did not have emergency department thoracotomies, the survival was 68%. Of the survivors, 38 patients received lateral venorrhaphy, and seven patients underwent ligation. Of the 38 survivors with lateral venorrhaphy, 30 patients (79%) underwent noninvasive follow-up: 13 patients by sonography, 11 patients by computed tomographic scan, and six patients by both modalities. The IVC was visualized in 28 patients (93%) and was found to be patent in 24 (86%). There were four thromboses documented noninvasively, with three cases being confirmed by contrast venorrhaphy. All three resolved with systemic anticoagulation.ConclusionsWe conclude that sonography and computed tomographic scan provide reliable noninvasive evaluation of the repaired IVC. We recommend that all patients with an IVC injury, which has been repaired, undergo evaluation for patency before discharge.

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