TREATMENT OF TRAUMATIC ANEURYSMS AND ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULAS

Traumatic aneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas were frequent sequelae of vascular injuries during the last great war and from current reports are even more numerous during the present war. This is not unexpected, for the type of armament now being used characteristically produces multiple wounds. Furthermore, in the past wounds of major blood vessels caused a high mortality as the result of hemorrhage, shock and infection. Now the presence of more highly trained medical officers in the forward areas, more rapid transportation and the use of large quantities of plasma and blood have greatly reduced the number of deaths from hemorrhage and shock. Also the combination of better surgical procedures performed earlier plus the use of sulfonamide compounds has resulted in a lower incidence of infection. The net result of these improvements is the survival of a larger number of soldiers with vascular injuries, in many of whom aneurysms and arteriovenous