Use of microsurgery and iloprost in the infantile arterial injuries.

BACKGROUND To evaluate the use and advantage of microsurgical intervention and intravenous iloprost administration in delayed infantile artery injuries. METHODS AND RESULTS Four patients were followed up and treated in our clinic between June 2003 and June 2006 for infantile artery injuries and distal ischemia. The average age of the 4 infants (3 girls, 1 boy) was 134.7+/-33.6 days. The reason for all of the artery injuries was iatrogenic. Tissue necrosis started in patches in 2 babies who were admitted at the 12(th) hour after ischemia (19(th) and 22(nd) hours), and therefore the artery was repaired by microsurgery. Iloprost infusion was also used in addition to the conservative treatments. The other 2 patients were assessed before the first 12 h after distal ischemia and were treated by iloprost without any surgical intervention. None of the patients lost any tissue or extremities during the 9 months (average) follow-up time. One of our patients died following the ventricular septal defect repair at the 9(th) month after a successful repair of artery. DISCUSSION We believe that intravenous iloprost infusion is very effective in the treatment of distal ischemia when used in addition to the conservative treatment methods for artery injuries in infants.