Blunt Aortic Injury Research Articles

Sex Differences in Blunt Traumatic Aortic Injury from the Aortic Trauma Foundation Global Registry

Trauma is the leading cause of death in people younger than 45 years, and blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) is the second leading cause of death after blunt trauma. There have been reports on variations in physiological response to trauma between men and women, as well as sex/gender disparities in aortic disease outcomes, but there is a gap in the literature on sex differences in patients with traumatic aortic injury. The Aortic Trauma Foundation international prospective multicenter registry was used to examine sex differences in traumatic aortic injury characteristics, management, and outcomes from 2016 to 2022. Data were analyzed by contingency table, stratified and multivariable regression. There were 781 patients with BTAI and complete injury grade information, of whom 182 patients (23%) were female. The mean age was 43.4 ± 18 years, and women were significantly older than men (48 ± 18.6 vs 42.3 ± 17.6 years, P < .0001). A total of 464 patients (59%) underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair with no significant difference between men (61%, 364 of 599) and women (55%, 100 of 182). Injury severity score and Glasgow coma scores did not differ between women and men. Women more often had pelvic fracture (41% vs 30%, P < .004), splenic injury (31% vs 23%, P < .05), renal injury (22% vs 14%, P < .02), sacral spine fracture (12% vs 6%, P < .02), and sternal fracture (17% vs 10%, P < .02), but these injury patterns were not associated with higher grade aortic injuries. There were no sex differences in the distribution of aortic injury grade. In-hospital mortality was 12%, and aortic-related mortality was 4% for the entire cohort, with no differences between men and women. The presence of sternal fracture appeared to predict higher aortic mortality in women (10% with sternal fracture vs 2% without, P = .05) but not in men (9% with sternal fracture vs 10% without P = .9). There is no difference in mortality between men and women with BTAI. Women with BTAI presented more frequently with intra-abdominal and pelvic injuries, and sternal fractures appear to predict a higher mortality in women with BTAI.

Endovascular treatment of a traumatic thoracic pseudo-aneurysm in a pediatric patient: a case report with review of literature

Blunt aortic injury (BAI) as a result of thoracic trauma is a rare entity in the adult and pediatric population. The endovascular approach has been the preferred method of management over operative repair in adults. However, data on pediatrics is limited to case reports and case series with no long-term follow-up. There are no current guidelines for management in the pediatric population. We are reporting a successful repair of a traumatic thoracic aortic aneurysm in a 13 year old boy with covered stents, with a review of relevant literature.

Blunt abdominal aortic trauma: a case report and review of the literature

Background: Blunt abdominal aortic injury (BAAI) is a rare injury which was reported in the world literature mostly in case report format. We sought to describe the experience of one patient with BAAI and to provide a contemporary review of the literature to better understand the natural history and management of this injury. Methods: This was a retrospective review of one patient with BAAI who was successful treated by bowel resection and abdominal aortic repair by cryopreserved arterial homograft. Results: No complications related to surgery and very good short-term outcomes. Conclusions: Although the mortality of BAAI is still high, early diagnosis and surgical can also save patient. Cryopreserved arterial homograft is one of the effective alternative material for replacement of abdominal aortic.

Hospital mortality of blunt abdominal aortic injury (BAAI): a systematic review and meta-analysis

BackgroundStudies on the mortality of blunt abdominal aortic injury (BAAI) are rare and have yielded inconsistent results. In the present study, we aimed to quantitatively analyse the retrieved data to more accurately determine the hospital mortality of BAAI.MethodsThe Excerpta Medica Database, PubMed, Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify relevant publications without date restrictions. The overall hospital mortality (OHM) of BAAI patients was set as the primary outcome measure. English publications with data that met the selection criteria were included. The quality of all included studies was assessed by the Joanna Briggs Institute checklist and the American Agency for Health Care Quality and Research’s cross-sectional study quality evaluation items. After data extraction, a meta-analysis of the Freeman–Tukey double arcsine transformation of data was performed using the Metaprop command in Stata 16 software. Heterogeneity was assessed and reported as a percentage using the I2 index value and as a P value using the Cochrane Q test. Various methods were used to determine the sources of heterogeneity and to analyse the sensitivity of the computation model.ResultsOf the 2147 references screened, 5 studies that involved 1593 patients met the selection criteria and were included. There were no low-quality references after assessment. One study that only included 16 juvenile BAAI patients was excluded from the meta-analysis of the primary outcome measure due to high heterogeneity. Due to the low heterogeneity (I2 = 47.6%, P = 0.126 for Q test) that was observed after using the random effects model, the fixed model was subsequently used to pool the effect sizes of the remaining four studies, thus yielding an OHM of 28.8% [95% confidence interval (CI) 26.5–31.1%]. The stability of the model was verified by sensitivity analysis, and Egger’s test (P = 0.339) indicated a low level of publication bias. In addition, we also performed meta-analyses and obtained a pooled hospital mortality of operation (13.5%, 95% CI 8.0–20.0%), a pooled hospital mortality of non-operation (28.4%, 95% CI 25.9–31.0%), and a pooled rate of aortic rupture (12.2%, 95% CI 7.0–18.5%) of BAAI.ConclusionsThe present study indicated that BAAI has an OHM of 28.8%, indicating that this disease deserves more attention and research.

Anatomic Utility of Single Branched Thoracic Endograft During Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair.

Single branched thoracic endografts (SBTEs) have been designed for pathology requiring zone 2 seal during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Numerous criteria must be met to allow for their implantation. Our aim was to analyze anatomic suitability for a next generation SBTE. We reviewed 150 TEVAR procedures between 2015 and 2019. Proximal seal was: zone 0 in 21 (16%), zone 1 in 4 (3%), zone 2 in 52 (40%), zone 3 in 45 (35%), and zone 4 or distal in 7 (5%). We analyzed the Zone 2 patient's angiograms and CT angiograms using centerline software to measure arterial diameters and length in relation to the left common carotid artery (LCCA), left subclavian artery (LSA) and proximal extent of aortic disease to determine if patients met anatomic criteria of a novel SBTE. Zone 2 average age was 64.4 ± 16.3 years; 34 patients were male (65%). Indications for repair were aneurysm (N = 9, 17%), acute dissection (N = 14, 27%), chronic dissection with aneurysmal degeneration (N = 7, 13%), intramural hematoma (N = 9, 17%), penetrating aortic ulcer (N = 5, 10%), and blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI, N = 8, 15%). LSA revascularization occurred in 27 patients (52%). Overall, 20 (38.5%) of the zone 2 patients met anatomic criteria. Patients with dissection met anatomic criteria less frequently than aneurysm (33% [10 of 30] vs 64% [9 of 14]). Patients treated for BTAI rarely met the anatomic criteria (1 of 8, 13%). The main anatomic constraints were an inadequate distance from the LCCA to the LSA takeoff and from the LCCA to the start of the aortic disease process. Less than half of patients who require seal in zone 2 met criteria for this SBTE. Patients with aneurysms met anatomic criteria more often than those with dissection. The device would have little applicability in treating patients with BTAI.

Experience of Diagnosis and in Using Endovascular Therapy for Blunt Trauma Aortic Injury in a Single Center

Experience of Diagnosis and in Using Endovascular Therapy for Blunt Trauma Aortic Injury in a Single Center

Endovascular Aortic Repair for Thoracic Aortic Compression Resulting From Chance Fracture of the Thoracic Spine

Blunt aortic injury is a serious condition with a high mortality rate. Although rare, blunt aortic injury associated with spinal fracture has also been reported, and appropriate management of aortic disease is key to a good outcome. This report is a case of a 78-year-old man who was found to have a transverse fracture (Chance fracture) in the ninth thoracic vertebra, with a sharp bone fragment compressing the thoracic aorta. Early spinal surgery was needed; however, there was concern about the possibility of bleeding from the aorta and surrounding small arteries associated with the bone fragment during spinal surgery. Therefore, thoracic endovascular aortic repair was performed before spinal surgery. The next day after thoracic endovascular aortic repair, posterior spinal instrumentation was performed, and the postoperative course was uneventful. Because aortic injury associated with vertebral fracture can lead to massive bleeding and spinal cord injury, endovascular repair before spinal surgery is reasonable.

Outcomes of Non-Operative Management of Blunt Aortic Injuries at a Johannesburg Trauma Centre

Outcomes of Non-Operative Management of Blunt Aortic Injuries at a Johannesburg Trauma Centre

Delayed endovascular repair for traumatic aortic pseudoaneurysms: experience from an Asian single center

BackgroundTraumatic aortic pseudoaneurysms (PSAs) classified as grade III aortic injuries are conventionally repaired as procedural emergencies, generally within 24 h of arrival. These patients typically require adequate resuscitation and treatment of multiple traumatic injuries, which complicate optimal management strategies of aortic PSAs. This study reviews the experience of an Asian single center to evaluate the efficacy and safety of delayed (> 24 h) endovascular repair for PSAs.MethodsTwenty-seven patients with blunt aortic injury (BTAI) were brought to our institution between February 2014 and May 2020. Patients with other grades of aortic injuries (grade I, II, or IV) were excluded from the study, and the remaining patients with grade III aortic injuries were placed into the early (< 24 h) and delayed (> 24 h) groups according to the timing of repair. Medical records and follow-up computed tomography (CT) scans were reviewed to document the outcomes of the procedures. Primary outcomes included mortality and complications.ResultsDuring this period, there were 14 patients (13 males and 1 females) with aortic PSAs, and each patient received thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Of these 14 patients, 1 underwent emergent TEVAR, and 13 underwent delayed repair (median 7 days, range, 3–14 days). Over a period of 8 years, the overall survival of our series was 100%. No paraplegia, stroke, ischemia of limb or other serious procedural complications were observed during the duration of follow-up.ConclusionThe experience of our center indicates that delayed repair for selected PSAs could be permissible, which enables a repair in more controlled circumstances.

Blunt traumatic aortic injury in the elderly population

Blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in trauma patients. Although outcomes for BTAI have been described in younger patient populations, elderly patients may present with different patterns of injury and have unique factors contributing to morbidity and mortality. This study aims to describe patterns of presentation and management in elderly patients presenting with BTAI using a nationwide database. Patients aged 65years and older with BTAI from 2007 through 2016 were identified from the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program database. Baseline demographics, initial physiologic variables, and clinical outcomes were extracted from the database. Our primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. An adjusted Poisson generalized regression model was used to compare rates of mortality for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), open repair, and nonoperative management. During the study period, 1322 patients aged 65years and over sustained BTAI and survived past triage. Mean age was 74.7years, and 60% were male. There were low incidence rates of concomitant major head (9.4%), spine (3.1%), and abdominal (5.7%) injuries. Three hundred fifty (26.5%) underwent TEVAR, 58 (4.4%) open repair, and 914 (69.1%) were managed nonoperatively. Utilization of TEVAR increased from 13.1% to 32.7% from 2007 to 2015, with subsequent decline to 19.9% in 2016 in favor of nonoperative management. Age, gender, and mean Injury Severity Scores (ISS) did not significantly differ by management. In-hospital mortality for the entire cohort was 37.9%. In an adjusted Poisson generalized regression model using inverse probability of treatment weighting controlling for age, race, gender, ISS, and hypotension, TEVAR was associated with the lowest mortality rate (1.31 deaths/100 person-years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.46) compared with open repair (2.53; 95% CI, 2.32-2.75; P< .001) and nonoperative management (3.91; 95% CI, 3.60-4.25; P< .001). There was a higher incidence of acute kidney injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and surgical site infection in the TEVAR group. This study describes the management of and outcomes for BTAI in the elderly population. The majority of patients did not undergo operative repair, which was associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality. In an adjusted analysis, TEVAR was associated with the lowest mortality rate, compared with open repair and nonoperative management.

Hybrid surgery for blunt aortic injury with rupture: a case report

Blunt thoracic aortic injury is one of the most lethal traumatic injuries. Ruptured cases often result in cardiac arrest before arrival at the hospital, and survival is rare. A female patient in her 30s was struck by an automobile while she was walking across an intersection. She was in a state of shock when emergency services arrived and was in cardiac arrest shortly after arriving at the hospital. A left anterolateral thoracotomy revealed a massive hemothorax secondary to thoracic aortic rupture. In addition, the patient had multiple traumas, including maxillary, pelvic, and lumbar burst fractures. We attempted to directly suture the aortic lesion; however, the increasing blood pressure caused the suture to break. We used a thoracic stent graft while ensuring permissive hypotension. Her postoperative prognosis was positive, and she was transferred to another hospital 85days later. We successfully performed a hybrid surgery combining thoracotomy and endovascular repair for this emergency case of blunt thoracic aortic injury with rupture.

Endovascular therapy in blunt traumatic aortic injuries

Aim: Blunt traumatic thoracic aortic injury (BTTAI) is a catastrophic life-threatening surgical emergency and the second most common cause of death in trauma patients. We retrospectively revealed our results for endovascularly treated BTTAI with early and long-term results. Material and Methods: During January 2009 and January 2022, patients from the emergency department with diagnosed BTTAI were retrospectively revealed. 38 patients all male except two, experienced BTTAI. 5 patients had grade IV, and 21 patients had grade III aortic injuries. Results: Mean age of the patients was 41.7±12.5 years. Technical success was 100%. Early mortality was 7.9%. The mean follow-up period was 49.7±18.3 months. In the follow-up period, there were no TEVAR-related complications. Conclusion: TEVAR is the most suitable treatment for BTTAI in the modern era. Left subclavian artery (LSA) intentional coverage may be performed however surgeon modified fenestrated stent graft (SMFSG) is an effective, economic, fast, and readily available technique for LSA revascularization without additional time.

Blunt traumatic aortic injury to the brachiocephalic and left carotid arteries

BackgroundBlunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) is a life-threatening pathology that most commonly occurs after traffic accidents or a fall from a considerable height. We report a rare case of traumatic double transection which included the brachiocephalic artery (BCA) and left carotid artery (LCA) following a motorcycle accident.Case presentationA 52-year-old man was brought to our emergency room for blunt trauma. Urgent computed tomography (CT) indicated BCA and LCA transection. Two weeks after the BTAI, CT indicated an increase in the size of the BCA pseudoaneurysm, a newly developed LCA pseudoaneurysm, and a spread of hematoma. An emergency partial aortic arch replacement including BCA and LCA reconstruction was performed 17 days after the BTAI. The postoperative course was good, and he was discharged 12 days later.ConclusionsAn open aortic repair appeared to be more suited in the present case because the aortic injury occurred in a branched lesion of the aortic arch. It was thought that complete stent graft coverage of the transection lesion would be difficult. Although coexisting multiple system injuries complicate aortic repair, there was a rapid enlargement of the BCA and LCA pseudoaneurysms. Therefore, strict management is needed even in the case of cervical artery injury.

What a Thrombus! Blunt Aortic Injury in a Young Woman

A 20 year old haemodynamically stable woman was admitted with an acute abdomen and absent pedal pulses after a road traffic accident in which she was a restrained backseat passenger. (A) Computed tomography revealed a pneumoperitoneum, near occlusive aortic thrombus proximal to the bifurcation (arrow), and an occluded left popliteal artery. (B) Laparotomy with bowel resection, a defunctioning ileostomy, and aortic repair were performed simultaneously. The aortic injury was repaired using an interposition Dacron graft (Uni-Graft K DV, 10 mm) which was covered with aortic wall after removing aortic thrombus (asterisk). A popliteal embolectomy was performed after aortic repair. Prophylactic antibiotics were given intra-operatively.Image 1

Increased intra-abdominal haemorrhage after thoracic endovascular aortic replacement in patients with concomitant blunt aortic injuries and abdominal trauma: a National Trauma Data Bank analysis.

The role of thoracic endovascular aortic replacement (TEVAR) in patients with concomitant blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) and blunt abdomen trauma (BAT) was evaluated using nationwide real-world data. The risk of post-TEVAR abdominal haemorrhage was studied. Patients with BTAI and BAT in the National Trauma Data Bank were retrospectively studied. Propensity score matching was used to evaluate the effect of TEVAR in delayed abdominal surgeries for haemostasis and the delayed need for blood transfusion. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent risk factors for delayed intra-abdominal haemorrhage in these patients. A total of 928 concomitant BTAI and BAT patients were studied (TEVAR versus non-TEVAR, 206 vs 722). After a well-balanced propensity score matching analysis, patients who received TEVAR had significantly more delayed abdominal surgeries for haemostasis (7.7% vs 4.5%, standardized mean difference = 0.316) and delayed need for blood transfusion (11.6% vs 7.1%, standardized mean difference = 0.299) than those who did not. The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that TEVAR increased the need for delayed abdominal surgeries (odds ratio = 2.026, P = 0.034). Among the patients who underwent TEVAR, the patients with delayed abdominal surgeries for haemostasis had a significantly higher proportion of severe abdominal injury (abdominal Abbreviated Injury Scale score of 4 or 5) than patients without delayed abdominal surgeries for haemostasis (31.6% vs 15.5%, P = 0.038). Patients with concomitant BTAI and BAT had a higher risk of intra-abdominal haemorrhage after TEVAR, especially patients with severe abdominal trauma.

Longer Term Rates of Survival and Reintervention Following Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair for Blunt Aortic Injury: A Retrospective Population-based Cohort Study from Ontario, Canada

Blunt aortic injury (BAI) has been associated with a high rate of mortality. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has emerged as the preferred treatment option for BAI patients. In our study, we compared the longer term outcomes of patients who had undergone TEVAR with other treatment options for BAI. The level of evidence for our therapeutic study was level IV.

The Role of Surgical and Endovascular Repair of Blunt Traumatic Aortic Injury in the Modern Era: A Single-Center Experience.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of chest x-ray (CXR) in blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) as a primary imaging tool in trauma patients. Methods:We retrospectively reviewed our hospital records for blunt thoracic aortic injury patients who had a therapeutic intervention from January 2015 to February 2021. Patients’ characteristics, initial chest x-rays, and computed tomography (CT) scan were extracted and re-evaluated.Results: Eighteen patients matched the criteria of our research. The mean age and the injury severity score (ISS) was 29.8±11.2 and 38.4±14.4, respectively. Seven patients (38.9%) underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), and 11 (61.1%) had open surgery. The TEVAR group had significantly lower mean intensive care unit stay days (6.6±3.9 vs. 10.8±6.9 in open aortic repair (OAR), p<0.05). The percentile of patients requiring blood transfusion was significantly lower in the TEVAR group (57% vs. 100% in OAR, p<0.05). Mediastinal widening (66.7%) was the most common finding during the evaluation of initial chest x-rays. Interestingly, 22.2% of the initial x-rays were not remarkable for BTAI.Conclusion:TEVAR is an advantageous choice in the management of BTAI. However, open aortic repair is the optimal decision in certain situations. It is suggested that the Interventional management of the BTAI must be performed by experienced vascular surgeons in a medical center capable of both OAR and TEVAR.

The endovascular aortic repair for patients with traumatic thoracic aortic blunt injury

OBJECTIVE: Blunt thoracic aortic injury is the second most common cause of death in trauma patients. Traumatic aortic injury is an emergency that patients will face death soonly, even there is no enough time to transport the patient to the hospital. In our center, all patients were treated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). We retrospectively analyze the therapeutic effects of TEVAR of blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) to get some inspiration for the follow-up treatment and provide valuable guidance. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our institutional database to identify all patients treated with TEVAR for traumatic lesions of the aortic isthmus. We have identified 22 patients since 2017. Patients’ charts were analyzed for preoperative characteristics and intraoperative variables. RESULTS: Forty-six patients were included. The median age was 56 years (23–79 years). Sixteen patients were male (73%). Most of them were graded III/IV of aortic injury. All patients were undergone endovascular treatment successfully. Six of 22 patients, showing no chest pain before admission, were presented with classic type B aortic dissection. Moreover, one patient was presented with thoracoabdominal dissection. Emergency surgery (&lt;24 h) was performed in seven patients (32%) who experienced life-threatening injury resulting in hemorrhagic shock and hematoma formation in the mediastinum. All patients were discharged smoothly with no residual symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular treatment of traumatic aortic dissection reduces the mortality rate of these patients who cannot tolerate traditional open surgery. According to our experience, patients who presented with simple pseudoaneurysm in enhanced computed tomography were more stable. Therefore, a postponed operation could be recommended after symptomatically hypotensive management. However, emergency surgery was necessary if patients presented with obviously mediastinal hematoma, especially progressive pleural effusion, which could result in hematoma rupture and death.

Outcomes of operative and nonoperative management of blunt thoracic aortic injury

ObjectiveAlthough the current guidelines for the management of blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) have recommended intervention for grade 2 injuries or higher, a national trend has occurred for aggressive endovascular treatment of low-grade BTAIs. Little is known about the natural history of grade 1 and 2 injuries treated nonoperatively. We hypothesized that most of these low-grade injuries would remain stable with nonoperative management. MethodsWe performed a review of BTAIs at a large referral level 1 trauma center from 2004 to 2020. The injuries were graded using a standard 1 to 4 scale. The outcomes of the nonoperative and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) management strategies were compared, including post-trauma morbidity, mortality, reinterventions, and lesion stability. ResultsA total of 176 patients with BTAIs and sufficient imaging studies and follow-up data available were identified during the study period, including 36 with grade 1, 24 with grade 2, 115 with grade 3, and 1 with a grade 4 injury. Of these 176 patients, 112 had undergone TEVAR and 64 had been treated nonoperatively. Most of the patients (90.2%) who had undergone TEVAR had had grade 3 injuries. Nonoperative management was performed for 97.2% of the grade 1 injuries and 62.5% of the grade 2 injuries. Endovascular reintervention after TEVAR was rare (2.7%). The rates of post-trauma morbidity within 30 days (stroke, 3.6% vs 3.1%; myocardial infarction/arrhythmia, 8.9% vs 1.6%; respiratory failure, 31.2% vs 28.1%; acute kidney injury, 9.8% vs 12.5%; urinary tract infection, 2.7% vs 4.8%; gastrointestinal bleeding, 3.6% vs 0.0%; pulmonary embolism, 10.9% vs 4.5%) and 1-year mortality after discharge (1.8% vs 3.1%) were comparable between the operative and nonoperative groups. The median follow-up was 1501 days (interquartile range [IQR], 475.6-2804 days) for the TEVAR group and 1170.5 days (IQR, 317-2173 days) for the nonoperative group. No lesion progression had occurred in the patients with low-grade (grade 1-2) injuries managed nonoperatively. Resolution of grade 1 and 2 injury had occurred in 20% of the patients at 30 days, which had improved to 44% at long-term follow-up. Fourteen patients with grade 3 injuries (12.2% of the grade 3 injuries in our series) were also observed and did not require future intervention. These patients had generally had smaller pseudoaneurysms with minimal periaortic hematoma. None of these 14 patients had experienced progression or rupture during follow-up (median, 454.5 days; IQR, 81-1199 days) using computed tomography. ConclusionsNonoperative management of low-grade BTAIs did not result in long-term aortic complications or the need for reintervention. We found that grade 3 injuries with smaller pseudoaneurysms and minimal periaortic hematoma can be safely observed if the patients can be appropriately followed up. Thus, the indications for treatment of select grade 3 injuries merit further consideration.

Blunt Traumatic Aortic Injury Management, a French TraumaBase Analytic Cohort

Blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI) in severe trauma patients is rare but potentially lethal. The aim of this work was to perform a current epidemiological analysis of the clinical and surgical management of these patients in a European country. This was a multicentre, retrospective study using prospectively collected data from the French National Trauma Registry and the National Uniform Hospital Discharge Database from 10 trauma centres in France. The primary endpoint was the prevalence of BTAI. The secondary endpoints focused chronologically on injury characteristics, management, and patient outcomes. 209 patients were included with a mean age of 43 ± 19 years and 168 (80%) were men. The calculated prevalence of BTAI at hospital admission was 1% (162/15 094) (BTAI admissions/all trauma). The time to diagnosis increased with the severity of aortic injury and the clinical severity of the patients (grade 1: 94 [74, 143] minutes to grade 4: 154 [112, 202] minutes, p = .020). This delay seemed to be associated with the intensity of the required resuscitation. Sixty seven patients (32%) received no surgical treatment. Among those treated, 130 (92%) received endovascular treatment, 14 (10%) open surgery (two were combined), and 123 (85%) were treated within the first 24 hours. Overall mortality was 20% and the attributed cause of death was haemorrhagic shock (69%). Mortality was increased according to aortic injury severity, from 6% for grade 1 to 65% for grade 4 (p < .001). Twenty-six (18.3%) patients treated by endovascular aortic repair had complications. BTAI prevalence at hospital admission was low but occurred in severe high velocity trauma patients and in those with a high clinical suspicion of severe haemorrhage. The association of shock with high grade aortic injury and increasing time to diagnosis suggests a need to optimise early resuscitation to minimise the time to treatment. Endovascular treatment has been established as the reference treatment, accounting for more than 90% of interventional treatment options for BTAI.