Traumatic intercostal arterial bleeding controlled with a novel surgical technique: a case report

INTRODUCTION: A blunt thoracic trauma may cause arterial bleeding requiring operative treatment or endovascular embolization or endovascular aortic stenting. A novel damage control technique to stop such bleeding is presented. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of an 82-year-old Caucasian man who experienced rib fractures I-VII on the left side and bleeding from damaged intercostal arteries after a blunt thoracic trauma. Emergency thoracotomy was performed. CONCLUSIONS: Effective hemostasis was achieved by using a rolled surgical swab and inserting it against the chest wall next to the aorta with sutures pulled through the intercostal muscles and then sutured to the back side of the patient. The patient died four days after the surgery due to a head injury sustained in the car crash.