Major Vascular Injuries in Elective Thoracic Surgery: A 10-Year Single-Center Experience

This study retrospectively examines major vascular injuries that occurred during elective thoracic surgeries over a 10-year period at a single tertiary care center. Although these injuries are rare, they can lead to life-threatening complications. The study aims to determine how often these injuries happen, what causes them, and how they are managed during surgery. It also evaluates the role of preoperative imaging and planning, including cardiovascular surgery team involvement, in preventing or managing these events. The findings are intended to help improve surgical safety and guide future preventive strategies.

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Key information

Conditions

Thoracic Surgery Blood Loss, Surgical Cardiovascular Diseases Hemorrhage Intraoperative Complications Pathologic Processes Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Vascular Diseases Vascular Injury Vascular System Injuries Wounds and Injuries

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Patients who underwent elective thoracic surgery between January 2015 and December 2024
Development of a major intraoperative vascular injury during surgery
Injury involving central vessels such as the subclavian artery or vein, brachiocephalic vein, innominate artery or vein, superior vena cava (SVC), or thoracic aorta
Availability of complete operative and postoperative medical records
Underwent surgical repair of the vascular injury (e.g., grafting, primary repair, ligation)

Exclusion criteria

Patients undergoing emergency thoracic surgery
Injuries limited to pulmonary artery or its branches
Minor bleeding from peripheral vessels that did not require major intervention
Postoperative vascular complications (e.g., delayed hemorrhage, pseudoaneurysm)
Missing or incomplete operative records

Treatment and study plan

Major Vascular Injury During Elective Thoracic Surgery

Other

This exposure refers to patients who experienced major vascular injuries during elective thoracic surgery. Injuries involved central vessels such as the subclavian artery, brachiocephalic vein, superior vena cava, and innominate vein. No experimental intervention was applied. The study retrospectively evaluated the surgical management, transfusion requirements, preoperative planning, and clinical outcomes associated with these intraoperative events.

Primary outcomes

Incidence of Major Intraoperative Vascular Injuries During Elective Thoracic Surgeries

Time frame: During Surgery (Intraoperative Period)

The primary outcome is the incidence rate of major vascular injuries identified during elective thoracic surgeries performed between January 2015 and December 2024. Major vascular injury is defined as intraoperative bleeding from central vessels such as the subclavian artery or vein, brachiocephalic vein, innominate artery or vein, superior vena cava (SVC), or thoracic aorta, requiring immediate surgical intervention (e.g., primary repair, grafting, or ligation).

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Caner İşevi, MD

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Major Vascular Injuries in Elective Thoracic Surgery: A Single-Center 10-Year Experience

Important dates

Study start: 2015
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2024
First posted: Aug 3, 2025
Registry last updated: Jul 24, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed