[Iatrogenic vascular injuries demand a lot from the surgeon. Better to prevent--errors and lack of knowledge can have serious consequences for the patient].

To investigate causes and consequences of iatrogenic vascular injuries requiring surgical repair, we retrospectively reviewed 18 cases during a ten year period between 1989 and 1999 at Karolinska sjukhuset. We hoped to identify specific injury patterns in these cases, which were found in all operating specialties. Inattention to vascular structures was the single most common cause of iatrogenic vascular injury. The second most common context was radical operations of cancers in which the tumor was adjacent to the vessel. A third cause was misunderstanding of the specific anatomy of the area. This study demonstrates that serious iatrogenic vascular injuries pose a great challenge for the surgeon. Representing a significantly increased risk for the patient, these serious incidents should be preventable through modifications in surgical technique.