CT Diagnosis of Internal Mammary Artery Injury Caused by Blunt Trauma

Internal Mammary Artery Injury After Blunt Chest Trauma Treated With Transcatheter Arterial Embolization

“…9 Braatz et al reported that contrast-enhanced chest CT scans might be useful for the detection of extravasation from an IMA. 10 However, in our three cases, extravasation was not detected on the CT scans. Chen et al also reported cases of aortic branch vessel injuries, including IMA injury, in which extravasation was detected by angiography, but not by CT scanning.…”

Internal Mammary Artery Injury Related to Chest Compressions in a Patient with Post-cardiac Arrest Syndrome

“…IMA injury secondary to blunt chest trauma is a rare en- tity but it is often life-threatening since it can progress to mediastinal hematoma with cardiac compression or hemothorax with hemorrhagic shock (7,8). Although the presence of an anterior mediastinal hematoma implies IMA injury, a mediastinal hematoma secondary to blunt chest trauma can be due to injuries of other vessels including the aortic arch, intercostal, internal thoracic, and small mediastinal vessels and rib or sternum fractures (7).…”

Concomitant aortic valve and internal mammary artery injuries in blunt chest trauma: Report of a case

“…Spiral CT is a useful screening tool when thoracic vascular injuries are suggested by physical examination or radiological fi ndings. 7 Our patient's hemodynamic status was initially stable, but a chest X-ray showed a sternal fracture and a widened mediastinum, which warranted further investigation with contrast-enhanced spiral CT. Traumatic IMA injuries with active bleeding can be diagnosed effectively with the aid of enhanced CT. 8 Angiography helps us to establish the diagnosis of IMA injury, and subsequent TAE offers an effective, effi cient, and minimally invasive alternative to conventional surgical treatment to achieve hemostasis after blunt thoracic trauma in patients who respond to rapid infusion of fl uids, at least transiently. 9 However, the threat of cardiac tamponade from an anterior mediastinal hematoma caused by IMA injuries cannot be overemphasized.…”