Experience of surgical treatment of vertebral artery injuries

The aim of the study was to analyze the results of spinal artery damage treatment of the injured. Materials and methods. An 2-year analysis of treating 7 patients with vertebral artery injuries admitted to the City Hospital (GB) No. 26 of St. Petersburg was carried out. The problems of diagnosing and treating these injuries have been identified. The solutions to these problems have been suggested. Two clinical cases of successful treatment of injured patients with spinal artery damage have been presented. Results. Theres a possibility of damaging vertebral arteries in neck injuries thus defining the need for introducing high-informative methods of inspection (a spiral computer tomography contrast angiography, a Magnetic Resonance Imaging) and low-invasive (X-ray endovascular) interventions in urgent surgery. The implementation of complex instrumental examinations, their nature, the number of them and urgency should be determined by a surgeon individually considering the recommendations of related specialists. Conclusions. Regardless of the wound size and the patients condition, examination and treatment of patients with neck injuries should be carried out in large hospitals with angiosurgeon and other narrow specialists in the panel of doctors with the 24-hour surveillance, as well as access to full examination and high-tech urgent operational interventions.