Selective arterial embolization for the control of traumatic splenic bleeding.

Artificial splenic trauma was created and treated with embolic material injected selectively into the splenic artery in 10 dogs. The bleeding was controlled by the original or a repeat embolization within the first 3 hours in all dogs. Seven dogs survived for 2 months. On angiograms performed prior to sacrifice, the arteries supplying the infarcted section of the spleen were again patent. Although both the arterial branches and the amount of splenic parenchyma in the area of infarction were smaller, the area of artificial trauma could not otherwise be identified. The histologic examination of the area of injury indicated healing of the injury and resolution of the infarct. The results of the study would indicate that selective embolization is a feasible method of controlling bleeding from splenic injury. Although embolism would not replace splenectomy as the generally used method, it could be used in patients who were not otherwise candidates for operative splenectomy.