AMPLATZER Vascular Plug 4 for proximal splenic artery embolization in blunt trauma

A consecutive case series was conducted evaluating proximal splenic artery embolization (SAE) with the AMPLATZER Vascular Plug 4 (AVP4) (St. Jude Medical, Inc, St. Paul, Minnesota) in eight patients with high-grade splenic trauma. Three proximal and five combined proximal and distal subselective coiling procedures were successfully performed. Mean time from device deployment to splenic artery occlusion was 4.5 minutes (range, 2.1–10.0 min; standard deviation, 2.8 min). There were no immediate complications. One patient developed a perisplenic abscess requiring percutaneous drainage and antibiotics. Results of this initial study show the suitability of the AVP4, with its ease of deployment without a guiding sheath and accurate placement, as a viable adjunct to nonoperative management of blunt splenic injury.