Hepatic angiographic changes after trauma.

Selective hepatic arteriography has a limited role in determining the extent and prognosis of injuries to the liver after surgical exploration and treatment. In this small series of thirty asymptomatic patients, there was no difference in the type or extent of injury or in the postinjury convalescence in patients who had abnormal or normal hepatic arteriograms. Angiographic abnormalities of avascular filling defects, pseudoaneurysms, arteriobiliary fistulas, contusions, and occlusions of the hepatic artery were demonstrated in our patients. The demonstration of these hepatic arteriographic abnormalities did not affect the convalescence of our patients if they were asymptomatic. Although hepatic arteriography can be helpful in establishing a diagnosis of hepatic trauma and in defining the extent and location of such injuries, arteriographic abnormalities are not the only criteria for the diagnosis of liver injuries. Arteriography is an ancillary technic to be used in relation to the clinical course of the patient.