Podcast 1019: Trauma Blunt Cardiovascular Injuries (BCVI)

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD

Educational Pearls:

Blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI)

BCVI is a traumatic injury to the carotid or vertebral arteries

Patients may initially have no neurologic symptoms

In some cases, a thrombus can form at the site of the injury and later cause ischemic stroke, sometimes hours after the original trauma

CT angiography (CTA) of the neck is a useful screening tool for BCVI

HIstorically, CTA was reserved for patients with high-risk mechanisms or neurologic symptoms

CTA screening has expanded as understanding of BCVIs and their prevention progresses

The Denver criteria were developed to identify patients with increased risk for BCVI

High-risk findings include cervical spine injuries and severe facial or skull-base fractures

Screening practices still vary between trauma centers, though expansion of proactive CTA is an increasingly common practice