The role of interventional radiology in trauma

Summary points Interventional radiological techniques to stop bleeding are a minimally invasive alternative to surgery in blunt abdominal trauma In haemodynamically stable patients with trauma, interventional radiology has an established role in the management of solid organ injuries In haemodynamically unstable patients with trauma, interventional radiology is effective in stemming haemorrhage from pelvic fractures Recent series suggest that in a wider range of haemodynamically unstable patients interventional radiological techniques may further reduce the number of patients needing surgery The overall quality of the evidence for interventional radiological and surgical interventions in trauma is poor