Traumatic intracranial and extracranial vascular injuries in children.

Trauma continues to be the leading cause of death in children older than 1 year of age. Although vascular injuries are uncommon, they contribute significantly to the mortality and morbidity related to traumatic injuries in the pediatric age group. In a recently reported large series of children, the head and neck location constituted 19.4% of all pediatric vascular injuries and accounted for most of the mortality observed. Catheter angiography is still considered as the gold standard diagnostic modality. However, because of its invasive nature, other techniques such as computed tomography angiography and magnetic resonance angiography are emerging as alternative diagnostic screening tools. Traumatic vascular injuries can involve the carotid as well as the vertebral arteries. They can be extracranial or intracranial. As a result, traumatic vascular injuries are a heterogeneous group of entities with potential significant implication on the natural history and prognosis. The optimal management of these injuries remains unclear and current practice is largely individualized. This report reviews the available literature regarding the current trends in diagnosis and management of pediatric traumatic vascular injuries. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.