[Diagnosis of iatrogenic vascular injuries with color-coded duplex ultrasound].

Between January 1991 and October 1992, 1052 patients who had previously undergone coronarography were examined for iatrogenic lesions around the catheter entry point. Some 3% of them were found to have local complications in the form of haematomas, aneurysms, and arteriovenous fistulas. At the time of investigation 75% of patients with local complications were on oral anticoagulants. In over half of those who had complications on oral anticoagulants there was no alternative to surgical treatment. Colour duplex sonography has the advantage that it can be repeated as often as possible; thus, in cooperation with the cardiac surgeon, the necessity and urgency of surgical intervention in cardiac risk patients can be assessed on an ongoing basis.