Revascularization of iatrogenic intraoperative injury to a major artery during hepatobiliary-pancreatic surgery: a single-center experience in China.

BACKGROUND Although uncommon during hepatobiliary-pancreatic (HBP) surgery, iatrogenic intraoperative injury to a major artery requires prompt and appropriate repair. Here, we outline our surgical experience with the repair of this injury, and compare our experience to findings garnered from a selective review of the literature. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the clinical diagnoses, surgical methods, sites of arterial injury, operative repair, intra-operative blood loss, blood transfusion requirements, post-operative management, and outcome of 17 consecutive patients who sustained iatrogenic intra-operative injuries to major arteries during HBP surgery between January 2008 and December 2013. RESULTS Depending on the location and extent of injury, suture repair, primary end-to-end anastomosis, artery transposition, interposition grafting, or arterio-portal shunting were used. Postoperative morbidity occurred in three cases and there was only one case of in-hospital mortality (5.9%). No arterial thrombosis or other repairrelated complications were found after the operation with a follow-up duration of 6 months. CONCLUSIONS The use of an optimal repair method for injured arteries based on their location and extent resulted in a satisfactory outcome.