Occult Radiation Injury Following Angiographic Procedures

Abstract

As the indications for fluoroscopically guided procedures increase, so do the potential complications from radiation. Radiation-induced wounds can have an insidious onset and time course that the plastic surgeon and wound specialist must be able to identify early. We review 3 cases of radiation-induced wounds following fluoroscopic procedures, which presented at various stages of diagnosis and healing. The pathophysiology of these wounds is discussed to aid in their diagnosis by providing an understanding of the resultant time course of injury and characteristics of the wounds. In addition, a familiarity of the concepts of interventional procedures and an increased element of caution in those patients most susceptible to injury is critical for prevention. Finally, an appropriate treatment protocol is proposed including early diagnosis, local wound care, hyperbaric oxygen, en bloc resection of the affected tissue, and reconstruction with tissue outside the zone of injury for recalcitrant or late stage wounds.