Occurrence, predictors, and management of late vascular complications following extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

OBJECTIVE: Vascular complications (VCs) associated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during index hospitalization are prevalent and associated with increased mortality. Few studies have evaluated late VCs following ECMO; this study aims to assess occurrence and management practices of late VCs following discharge. METHODS: A retrospective single-institution review was performed of all patients surviving initial hospitalization after being cannulated for central or peripheral veno-venous (VV) or veno-arterial (VA) ECMO between January 1, 2019, and December 31, 2020. Primary outcomes were to categorize and determine the rate of late VCs. Late VCs were defined as any cannulated vessel injury resulting from ECMO cannulation presenting after discharge from index hospitalization. Analysis was conducted by cannulated vessel and stratified by VV or VA ECMO configurations. RESULTS: A total of 229 patients were identified, of which 50.6% (n = 116) survived until discharge. Late VCs occurred in 7.8% of the surviving cohort (n = 9/116); with a median time until presentation of 150 days (interquartile range, 83-251 days). The most common late VC was infection (n = 5; 55.6%) followed by progression to limb-threatening ischemia (n = 4; 44.4%). Urgent procedures were required in 55.6% of patients (n = 5), whereas 44.4% (n = 4) were elective interventions. Interventions performed for management of late VCs included lower extremity arterial revascularization (n = 6; 66.7%), major (n = 1; 11.1%) or minor amputation (n = 1; 11.1%), and wound debridement (n = 1; 11.1%). The majority of patients presenting with late VCs had initially been cannulated for peripheral VA ECMO (n = 8; 88.9%), and one patient (11.1%) was cannulated for peripheral VV ECMO. VCs during index hospitalization were seen in 77.8% of patients (n = 7) returning with late VCs. Odds for late VCs were significantly increased in patients that had been cannulated for ECMO as part of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (odds ratio, 8.4; P = .016) and in cases where patients had experienced an index VC during index hospitalization (odds ratio, 19.3; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Late vascular complications after peripheral ECMO cannulation are not rare, particularly after arterial cannulation. Patients should be followed closely early after surviving ECMO with wound evaluation and formal assessment of perfusion with ankle-branchial indices in the cannulated limb.

Current outcomes following upper and lower extremity arterial trauma from the National Trauma Data Bank.

OBJECTIVE: The modern treatments of trauma have changed in recent years. We aim to evaluate the factors associated with limb salvage and mortality after extremity arterial trauma, especially with respect to the type of conduit used in revascularization. METHODS: The National Trauma Data Bank was queried to identify patients with upper and lower extremity (UE and LE) arterial injuries between 2016 and 2020. The patients were stratified by the types of arterial repair. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: 8780 patients were found with 5054 (58%) UE and 3726 (42%) LE injuries. Eighty-three percent were men, and the mean age was 34 ± 15 years. Penetrating mechanism was the predominant mode of injury in both UEs and LEs (73% and 67%, respectively) with a mean injury severity score of 14 ± 8. For UEs, the majority underwent primary repair (67%, P < .001), whereas the remainder received either a bypass (20%) or interposition graft (12%). However, LEs were more likely to receive a bypass (52%, P < .00001) than primary repair or interposition graft (34% and 14%, respectively). Compared with the extremely low rates of amputation and mortality among UE patients (2% for both), LE injuries were more likely to result in both amputation (10%, P < .001) and death (6%, P < .001). Notably, compared with primary repair, the use of a prosthetic conduit was associated with a 6.7-fold increase in the risk of amputation in UE and a 2.4-fold increase in LE (P < .0001 for both). Synthetic bypasses were associated with a nearly 3-fold increase in return to the operating room (OR) in UE bypasses (P < .05) and a 2.4-fold increase in return to the OR in LE bypasses (P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: In recent years, most extremity vascular trauma was due to penetrating injury with a substantial burden of morbidity and mortality. However, both limb salvage rates and survival rates have remained high. Overall, LE injuries more often led to amputation and mortality than UE injuries. The most frequently used bypass conduit was vein, which was associated with less risk of unplanned return to the OR and limb loss, corroborating current practice guidelines for extremity arterial trauma.

In-Hospital Risk Factors for Reintervention and Amputation in Brachial Arterial Trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Brachial artery trauma is a rare but potentially devastating injury. There is little data regarding risk factors for reintervention and amputation prevention in this population, as well as anticoagulant (AC) and antiplatelet (AP) regimens and outcomes after discharge in trauma patients with vascular injuries requiring repair. This study aims to identify in-hospital risk factors for reintervention and amputation and stratify outcomes of follow-up by discharge AC or AP regimen. METHODS: The AAST Prospective Observational Vascular Injury Trial database was queried for all patients who underwent traumatic brachial arterial repair from 2013 to 2022. Patients were evaluated by need for reintervention, amputation, and outcomes at follow-up by AC or AP regimen. RESULTS: Three hundred and eleven patients required brachial repair, 28 (9%) required reoperation, and 8 (2.6%) required amputation. High injury severity score and an increased number of packed red blood cells and platelets showed a significant increase for reoperation and amputation. Damage control and shunt use were significant for the need to reoperate. Seventy-four percent (221/298) of patients were discharged with postoperative AC or AP regimens. There was no significant difference of short-term follow-up by type of AC or AP regimen. CONCLUSIONS: Damage control and temporary shunt may lead to additional operations but not an increase in amputations. However, anticoagulation intraoperatively and postoperatively does not appear to play a significant role in reducing reintervention. It also suggests that there is no increase in short-term follow-up complications with or without AC or AP therapy.

Editor's Choice - International Perspective on Extremity Vascular Trauma in Children: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: Extremity vascular trauma in children can result in significant morbidity and mortality. Most published studies have focused on supracondylar humeral fracture related injuries, with little focus on other injuries. This scoping review describes the current state of knowledge on paediatric vascular injuries in the upper and lower limbs, excluding injuries related to supracondylar humeral fractures. METHODS: MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were searched for relevant studies evaluating the epidemiology, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of upper and lower limb vascular trauma in those aged under 18 years. Studies related to supracondylar humeral fractures were excluded. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for Scoping Reviews was used. RESULTS: A total of 39 studies was included, all of which were retrospective, and 74% of which were based in North America or Europe. Extremity vascular trauma was reported to cause 0.6 - 4.4% of all paediatric trauma admissions, with penetrating mechanisms and upper limb injuries being the most common. Operative intervention was reported in 80 - 100% of children in the included studies. Primary repair was the most commonly reported operative intervention, followed by interposition graft and bypass graft. Synthetic graft use was less commonly reported (incidence range 0.5 - 33%). Lower limb fasciotomies and amputations were not commonly reported (incidence range 0 - 23% and 0 - 13%, respectively). The mortality rate appeared low, with 23 studies reporting no deaths (incidence range 0 - 4%). Complications were reported inconsistently, with no uniform outcome or follow up measures used. CONCLUSION: The incidence of extremity vascular trauma appears low in children, with penetrating mechanisms and upper extremity injuries appearing to dominate. Most studies are from high income countries, with probable selection bias towards those treated by operative intervention. Prospective studies are required focusing on patterns of injury, rates of operative and endovascular intervention, and long term outcomes.

Shots fired: evaluation of vascular injury, compartment syndrome, and transfusion rates among civilian ballistic orthopaedic fracture patients presenting to two Level I trauma centres.

PURPOSE: This study investigates baseline patient demographics and predictors of vascular injury, blood transfusion, and compartment syndrome in patients with orthopaedic fractures secondary to GSWs at two high-volume Level I trauma centres. METHODS: A retrospective chart review of all GSW-related trauma patients at two Level I trauma centres between July 2019 and September 2021 was conducted. Chi-squared and two-tailed independent t tests were used for data analysis, and logistic regression with odds ratios (OR) determined predictors of primary outcomes. RESULTS: Among 478 GSW patients, 94 (19.7%) sustained 130 orthopaedic fractures, most commonly at the lower extremity (77.7%). Orthopaedic fracture patients showed significantly higher rates of vascular injury (29.8 vs. 4.7%, p < 0.001), transfusion (27.7 vs. 12.8%, p = 0.006), and compartment syndrome (3.2 vs. 0.3%, p = 0.011) compared to non-orthopaedic injury patients. Univariable analysis identified ankle (OR = 47.50, p < 0.001) and hip/femur fractures (OR = 5.31, p < 0.001) as predictors of vascular injury. Multivariable logistic regression revealed lower extremity vascular injury (OR = 54.69, p = 0.006) and anatomic fracture sites of the humerus (OR = 15.17, p = 0.008), clavicle/scapula (OR = 11.30, p = 0.009), and acetabulum/pelvis (OR = 7.17, p = 0.025) as predictors of blood transfusion. Univariable analysis showed lower extremity vascular injury (OR = 30.14, p = 0.007) as a predictor of compartment syndrome. CONCLUSION: These findings underscore the importance of diagnosing and managing vascular injuries and compartment syndrome in GSW-related orthopaedic fractures, emphasizing the necessity for targeted transfusion strategies in such cases.

Incidence of vascular injury associated with knee arthroplasty: series of cases.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of vascular injury associated with knee arthroplasty is scarce, but, when they occur, the consequences are serious. OBJECTIVES: Describe the incidence of vascular lesions in our center and evaluate time to diagnosis, resolution and follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective cohort during the 2010-2019 period of primary arthroplasties and knee revision. The incidence of vascular lesions and their demographic characteristics were analyzed. Type of lesion, diagnostic method and treatment were recorded. It was evaluated in distant follow-up of pain and functionality. RESULTS: 7.940 primary total knee arthroplasty and revision surgeries were recorded, and a report of 7 emergency cases for vascular lesions was also recorded, with an incidence of 0.088%. 3 vascular lesions were caused by direct laceration of the popliteal artery, 1 case of thrombosis of the popliteal artery and 3 cases of pseudoaneurysmal lesion of the superior genicular artery. Three vascular lesions that occurred in primary arthroplasty were immediately repaired by a vascular surgeon. Pseudoaneurysm lesions and thrombosis were resolved by angiographic procedure. DISCUSSION: Vascular complications around the knee are rare. Time to diagnosis and treatment is essential. Digital angiography is a diagnostic and therapeutic tool. There are various repair techniques, whether it's embolization, cauterization, stenting or endoprosthesis; therefore, digital angiography is a safe method with a low complication rate. CONCLUSION: The incidence of vascular lesions in knee arthroplasty in our center is very low. The cases were diagnosed and resolved early, without registering subsequent complications with good functional results in distant follow-up.

[Surgical treatment of traumatic arteriovenous fistulas of extremities]. / Osobennosti khirurgicheskogo lecheniya travmaticheskikh arteriovenoznykh fistul konechnostei.

The number of victims with damage to the great vessels has increased in recent years due to escalation of armed conflicts. Vascular damages comprise 3% of traumatic injuries in peacetime, and their incidence increases to 15% during hostilities. False aneurysms and traumatic arteriovenous fistulas follow vascular injury in 48.9-68.7% of cases. We present open surgical treatment of traumatic arteriovenous fistulas. The issues of diagnosis, surgical tactics, algorithm of intervention and options for successful treatment are described.

Peripheral vascular trauma - basic management, diagnosis and treatment.

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral vascular injuries occur in 1-3% of all traumas in civilian settings. The management of these injuries is often based on experience derived from war medicine where these injuries are more common. The goal of this article is to summarize basic guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of vascular injuries. METHODS: Western Trauma Association (WTA) and Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) both have their own guidelines for vascular trauma management. RESULTS: Vascular injuries occur both in penetrating and blunt traumas. Complete vessel disruption occurs more frequently in penetrating traumas. In the case of blunt trauma, intimal defects are more common, resulting in dissection, false aneurysm, or intramural hematoma. The limb is mostly endangered due to ischemia, reperfusion injury and the compartment syndrome. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are paramount. Vascular trauma management is part of the ATLS protocol and life-over-limb principle. The primary goal is to stop the massive external bleeding. Clinical examination and CT angiography are the most helpful for the diagnosis. Surgical revision is indicated when hard signs are present. This can be a damage control surgery with the primary goal to stop the bleeding as quickly as possible. A shunt can be used for temporary reperfusion of the limb. Definitive treatment can take the form of a simple suture, patches or graft interposition; both prosthetic and autologous grafts are used. Sufficient debridement and fasciotomy are important steps in the therapy. In some cases, endovascular treatment can be used. CONCLUSION: Over the last century, the treatment strategy changed dramatically. Data from recent military conflicts show a decrease in amputation rates, and limb salvage has become a standard.

Effect of intravascular ultrasound on clinical outcomes after thoracic endovascular aortic repair for blunt thoracic aortic injury.

OBJECTIVE: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for blunt traumatic aortic injuries (BTAIs) can be complicated by inaccurate aortic measurements at the initial computed tomography angiography secondary to hypovolemic shock. The use of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) has been proposed for more accurate aortic sizing, with prior data demonstrating larger aortic sizes measured by IVUS, potentially altering the vast majority of chosen endograft sizes. At present, and to the best of our knowledge, no studies have examined whether IVUS affects the clinical outcomes. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of IVUS on the clinical outcomes after TEVAR for BTAIs. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was performed of patients who had undergone TEVAR for BTAIs in the VQI registry. The cohorts were defined by the use of IVUS. The primary outcomes were mortality and reintervention at 1 year. RESULTS: A total of 919 patients who had undergone TEVAR for BTAIs were included in the present analysis. The IVUS patients had presented with higher injury severity scores (36.2 vs 42; P = .0004) largely because of more extremity and external trauma. IVUS was more often used for patients with grade III injuries (49.1% vs 56.9%; P = .02) and less often for patients with rupture (21.1% vs 12.4%; P = .001). A trend toward a delay in TEVAR was seen for the patients for whom IVUS was used (1.8 vs 3.5 days; P = .38), with additional trends toward reduced intraoperative resuscitation and blood loss. The hemodynamic status of the patients and differences in aortic or endograft sizes could not be assessed with the available data. IVUS use was not associated with any differences in survival or reintervention rates in-hospital or at 1 year (Kaplan-Meier survival estimates: 0.91 no IVUS vs 0.92 IVUS; P = .46). Fifteen aortic-related reinterventions occurred across the entire patient cohort for all-available follow-up with comparable rates of type I endoleaks (1 no IVUS vs 2 IVUS), with no recorded cases of sizing-related complications such as device rupture, migration, or dissection. CONCLUSIONS: IVUS usage during TEVAR for BTAIs was associated with clinical scenarios in which patients were more stable and interventions to address BTAIs can be delayed. Despite this, the overall clinical outcomes were similar between cases in which IVUS was used and for which it was not.

Blunt Traumatic Aortic Injury Management, a French TraumaBase Analytic Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: 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. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSION: 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.

Machine learning-based analysis of alveolar and vascular injury in SARS-CoV-2 acute respiratory failure.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pneumopathy is characterized by a complex clinical picture and heterogeneous pathological lesions, both involving alveolar and vascular components. The severity and distribution of morphological lesions associated with SARS-CoV-2 and how they relate to clinical, laboratory, and radiological data have not yet been studied systematically. The main goals of the present study were to objectively identify pathological phenotypes and factors that, in addition to SARS-CoV-2, may influence their occurrence. Lungs from 26 patients who died from SARS-CoV-2 acute respiratory failure were comprehensively analysed. Robust machine learning techniques were implemented to obtain a global pathological score to distinguish phenotypes with prevalent vascular or alveolar injury. The score was then analysed to assess its possible correlation with clinical, laboratory, radiological, and tissue viral data. Furthermore, an exploratory random forest algorithm was developed to identify the most discriminative clinical characteristics at hospital admission that might predict pathological phenotypes of SARS-CoV-2. Vascular injury phenotype was observed in most cases being consistently present as pure form or in combination with alveolar injury. Phenotypes with more severe alveolar injury showed significantly more frequent tracheal intubation; longer invasive mechanical ventilation, illness duration, intensive care unit or hospital ward stay; and lower tissue viral quantity (p < 0.001). Furthermore, in this phenotype, superimposed infections, tumours, and aspiration pneumonia were also more frequent (p < 0.001). Random forest algorithm identified some clinical features at admission (body mass index, white blood cells, D-dimer, lymphocyte and platelet counts, fever, respiratory rate, and PaCO2 ) to stratify patients into different clinical clusters and potential pathological phenotypes (a web-app for score assessment has also been developed; https://r-ubesp.dctv.unipd.it/shiny/AVI-Score/). In SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, alveolar injury is often associated with other factors in addition to viral infection. Identifying phenotypical patterns at admission may enable a better stratification of patients, ultimately favouring the most appropriate management. © 2021 The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Expedient Endovascular Hemorrhage Control During Anterior Lumbar Spinal Exposure Allows Procedural Completion in Rescued Patients.

OBJECTIVES: To propose a contemporary management strategy for venous injury during anterior lumbar spinal exposure that incorporates endovascular treatment. METHODS: Vein injuries suffered by patients treated in a single practice were reviewed. A treatment algorithm based on these experiences was formulated. RESULTS: Between 2015 and 2018, 914 patients received anterior access procedures for indicated lumbar interbody fusions. Of these patients, 15 (1.6%) suffered minor vascular injuries treated with manual pressure or suture repair. Four (0.4%) patients undergoing anterior lumbar spine surgery suffered major venous injuries, all of whom received the indicated spinal hardware following endovascular rescue. Primary repair was attempted in three patients before endovascular control and not at all in one. Vascular access was obtained via the bilateral femoral veins in 2 patients, unilateral femoral in one, and bilateral femoral plus right internal jugular vein in one. Stent choice included both uncovered (5, 63%) and covered stents (3, 38%). Deep venous thrombosis occurred in 2 patient's post-treatment. 1 DVT was encountered in the setting of a covered stent and 1 uncovered stent thrombosis was treated with catheter-directed lysis 4 weeks post-operatively. Ultimately, 3 patients were therapeutically anticoagulated. Mean follow-up is 13 months (range 1-36) with duplex ultrasounds available at 6 months or later in 3 of 4 patients. There is no evidence of post-thrombotic syndrome in the 2 patients that developed DVT's or in-stent stenosis in the 3 patients with available follow-up imaging. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular techniques are important adjuncts when controlling large-volume hemorrhage associated with venous tears during anterior spinal exposure. Adequate direct compression allowing occlusion balloon inflation are key steps to reduce blood loss. Covered and uncovered stents are both appropriate choices to treat injuries. Patients must be anticoagulated post-operatively and surveilled for the sequelae of venous insufficiency. With expedient hemostasis, the indicated spinal surgery may be safely completed.

Popliteal Artery Injury After Fracture and/or Dislocation of the Knee: Risk Stratification for Revascularization Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Managing complex knee trauma involving both vascular and osseous injuries is challenging, yet the available guidelines for efficient popliteal artery injury management after high-velocity blunt knee trauma remain conflicting and inconsistent. In this study, the authors aim to identify the risk factors associated with delayed limb amputation and ischemic muscular sequela postrevascularization. Furthermore, we propose a treatment algorithm to improve the limb salvage rate. METHODS: Patients who presented with traumatic popliteal artery injury resulting in vessel occlusion or rupture, followed by fracture and/or dislocation of the knee from January 2008 to December 2013, were included for retrospective review. RESULTS: Overall delayed amputation rate was 24% (7/29) and 16% (4/25) after successful revascularization. Mangled Extremity Severity Score is higher in the delayed amputation group than the limb-salvaged group (P = 0.02). Higher-impact force (P = 0.03), ischemic limb on presentation (P = 0.03), prolonged ischemia time (P = 0.04), unstable hemodynamics (P = 0.01), longer operation time (P = 0.04), and prolonged intensive care unit stay (P = 0.03) are risk factors of delayed amputation. Longer ischemia time (P = 0.04) and length of popliteal artery injury (P = 0.02) are associated with ischemic muscular sequela. CONCLUSIONS: Mangled Extremity Severity Score is a reliable predictor of limb salvage. An algorithmic approach may improve the outcome of popliteal artery injury after high-velocity blunt knee trauma.

Transbrachial Secondary Vascular Access in Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Procedures: A Single-Centre Retrospective Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures require secondary vascular access for inserting accessory catheters and performing percutaneous repair of femoral artery injury. Use of the transbrachial approach for secondary vascular access in TAVR procedures has not been reported. METHODS: This study identified 48 patients at the current institution who had undergone transfemoral TAVR utilising transbrachial secondary vascular access. Efficacy and safety of this strategy for achieving a successful totally percutaneous procedure were examined. Study endpoints were occurrence of vascular complications and bleeding related to transbrachial access, as well as periprocedural and 1-year mortality. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 80±7 years and Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality score was 10.6±3.1. Sizes of sheaths inserted into the brachial artery were 6 Fr (85%), 8 Fr (2%), and 9 Fr (13%). Transbrachial access was used for delivering stent grafts to the femoral artery in 13% of the patients, inflation of an occlusive balloon within the iliac artery in 10%, and treatment of iatrogenic femoral artery stenosis in 2%. Successful valve replacement was achieved in all cases. Brachial sheaths were removed by manual compression following administration of protamine sulfate. There were no major access site complications or VARC-3 type ≥2 bleeding related to the brachial vascular access. Brachial artery occlusion occurred in two patients (4%) who underwent surgical vascular repair. Two (2) additional patients developed mild arm ischaemia, which was treated conservatively. Periprocedural mortality was 0% and early mortality was 8%. CONCLUSIONS: Transbrachial secondary access in TAVR procedures was feasible and enabled percutaneous vascular repair in cases of femoral artery injury.

Vascular injuries: Aetiology, presentation and management outcomes at a tertiary hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.

Vascular injuries lead to haemorrhagic shock and distal limb ischaemia, especially with an arterial injury. This life-threatening state mandates urgent evaluation and intervention to save life and limbs. The treatment aims to restore blood flow and replace lost blood within the golden hours, stabilising cardiovascular haemodynamics and averting irreversible ischaemic damage. The aim of this study was to analyse the clinical profile of vascular injuries, management and outcomes in our institution. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study covered the period from January 2015 to December 2021. Information of interest were extracted from the medical records of each participant. The results from the data analysis were presented in charts and tables. Results: Seventy-four patients aged 15-78 years (mean 32.30 ± 13.75 years) were included in this study. The male-to-female ratio was 3.6:1. The most common causes were gunshot injury, road traffic accident and iatrogenic injuries. The mean duration from injury to presentation was 9.85 h and mean duration from presentation to restoration of flow was 7.3 h. The most common injured artery was the femoral artery, whereas the most common vein was inferior vena cava. Primary vascular repair was done in majority of the cases. Amputation was performed in 18.9% with loss of viability of the limb. Conclusion: Vascular injury though relatively uncommon remains a challenging and life-threatening disease predominantly in young adult males. Urgent intervention prevents limb loss and mortality. Favourable outcome is accomplished by improving emergency healthcare delivery and well-equipped vascular centres with adequately trained personnel in the nation's hospitals.

Popliteal scoring assessment for vascular extremity injuries in trauma study.

OBJECTIVE: Traumatic popliteal vascular injuries are associated with the highest risk of limb loss of all peripheral vascular injuries. A method to evaluate the predictors of amputation is needed because previous scores could not be validated. In the present study, we aimed to provide a simplified scoring system (POPSAVEIT [popliteal scoring assessment for vascular extremity injuries in trauma]) that could be used preoperatively to risk stratify patients with traumatic popliteal vascular injuries for amputation. METHODS: A review of patients sustaining traumatic popliteal artery injuries was performed. Patients requiring amputation were compared with those with limb salvage at the last follow-up. Of these patients, 80% were randomly assigned to a training group for score generation and 20% to a testing group for validation. Significant predictors of amputation (P < .1) on univariate analysis were included in a multivariable analysis. Those with P < .05 on multivariable analysis were assigned points according to the relative value of their odds ratios (ORs). Receiver operating characteristic curves were generated to determine low- vs high-risk scores. An area under the curve of >0.65 was considered adequate for validation. RESULTS: A total of 355 patients were included, with an overall amputation rate of 16%. On multivariate regression analysis, the risk factors independently associated with amputation in the final model were as follows: systolic blood pressure <90 mm Hg (OR, 3.2; P = .027; 1 point), associated orthopedic injury (OR, 4.9; P = .014; 2 points), and a lack of preoperative pedal Doppler signals (OR, 5.5; P = .002; 2 points [or 1 point for a lack of palpable pedal pulses if Doppler signal data were unavailable]). A score of ≥3 was found to maximize the sensitivity (85%) and specificity (49%) for a high risk of amputation. The receiver operating characteristic curve for the validation group had an area under the curve of 0.750, meeting the threshold for score validation. CONCLUSIONS: The POPSAVEIT score provides a simple and practical method to effectively stratify patients preoperatively into low- and high-risk major amputation categories.

Incidence and Outcome of Popliteal Artery Injury Associated with Knee Dislocations, Ligamentous Injuries, and Close to Knee Fractures: A Nationwide Population Based Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Arterial injury in knee trauma is rare but can be devastating if the diagnosis is delayed. The frequency of concomitant arterial injury resulting from knee dislocations remains unclear, and from knee fractures it remains unknown. The primary aim was to investigate the incidence of arterial injury in knee trauma requiring hospitalisation. Secondary aims were to identify risk factors and describe outcome. METHODS: Traumatic popliteal artery injury and knee trauma were identified by International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 codes from the Swedish National Inpatient registry (NPR), 1998-2014 and linked with data using the unique personal identification number with the National Registry for vascular surgery (Swedvasc). Risk factors for popliteal artery injury (PAI) such as cause of injury, comorbidities and injury severity were extracted from the NPR. Socio-economic status data and population count came from Statistics Sweden, and cause and date of death from the Swedish Cause of Death Registry. RESULTS: A total of 71 149 admissions due to all knee trauma were identified, and 359 with simultaneous PAIs. Some of those injuries were non-orthopaedic. The proportion of PAI after knee dislocation ranged between 3.4% (46/1370 dislocations or multiligamentous injuries) and 8.2% (46/564 dislocations), and 0.2% after fracture close to the knee (60/36 483). The most common causes of injury with PAI were falls causing knee dislocations and motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) causing fractures. The fact that all 46 injuries occurring after multiligamentous injuries were classified as knee dislocations is probably explained by the fact that the ICD codes are chosen retrospectively when the patient leaves the hospital. CONCLUSION: PAI after knee dislocation is not uncommon, and most frequently caused by a fall. PAI associated with knee fracture is rare and mostly caused by a MVA, while in low energy knee fractures PAI is practically non-existent.

Management and Outcomes after Upper Versus Lower Extremity Vascular Trauma.

BACKGROUND: While significant literature exists regarding peripheral vascular injury management, the vast majority focuses on lower extremity arterial injury. As a result, clinical management of arterial injury in the upper extremities is often guided by literature specific to lower extremity vessel injury. The purpose of this study is to use the largest series of patients reported in the literature to compare management and outcomes of upper and lower extremity traumatic vascular injuries. METHODS: Patients who underwent operative repair of traumatic vascular injuries of the extremities were identified from the trauma registry of a level I trauma center. A retrospective chart review (2011-2019) was conducted. Demographics, mechanism of injuries, operative techniques, and outcomes were compared between patients with upper versus lower extremity vascular injuries. RESULTS: Five hundred thirty-five patients were included with 234 (43.8%) patients undergoing repair of upper extremity vascular injuries. Patients with upper extremity vascular injuries were more likely to be female (16.7% vs. 9%, P = 0.007), have a pre-hospital tourniquet (21.8% vs. 12%,P = 0.002), have associated nerve injuries (40.2% vs. 4.7%, P < 0.0001) or present with bleeding (76.1% vs. 64.1%, P = 0.002) but were less commonly associated with concomitant fractures (25.6% vs. 39.9%, P = 0.0006). There was no difference in age, race, or mechanism of injury. In regards to operative management, upper extremity injuries were more likely to be managed with vessel ligation (38% vs. 17.6%, P < 0.0001) or primary reanastomosis (12.4% vs. 5.6%, P = 0.009) and were less frequently associated with concomitant fasciotomies (13.3% vs. 56.5%, P < 0.0001). Postoperatively, upper extremity injuries were associated with persistent nerve deficits (21.7% vs. 10%, P = 0.0002) while lower extremity injuries had a higher incidence of 30-day limb loss (5.7% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.008). There were no differences in mortality or graft-patency rates between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Upper extremity injuries are associated with a lower limb-loss rate but increased prevalence of neurological deficits after vascular trauma compared to lower extremities. A high level of suspicion is paramount to intraoperative identify associated nerve injuries to improve postoperative functional outcomes.

Area Deprivation Index Score is Associated with Lower Rates of Long Term Follow-up after Upper Extremity Vascular Injuries.

The Area Deprivation Index (ADI) has been shown to be a determinant of healthcare outcomes in both medical and surgical fields, and is a measure of the socioeconomic status of patients. We sought to analyze outcomes in patients with upper extremity vascular injuries that were admitted over a five-year period to a Level I trauma center sorted by ADI. All patients with upper extremity vascular injury presenting to a level one trauma center between January 2013 and January 2017 were retrospectively collected. The patients were divided into two groups based on their ADI with the first group representing the lowest quartile of patients and the second group the higher three quartiles. Patient's demographics were analyzed as well as modes of trauma, hospital transfer status prior to receiving care, type of intervention received, follow-up rates and outcomes including both complication and amputation rates. Over this time period, a total of 88 patients with traumatic upper extremity vascular injuries were identified. The majority of injuries were due to penetrating trauma (74/88, 84%) with 41% (10/24) of patients in the lower ADI being victims of gunshot wounds compared to 27% (17/64) of those in the higher ADI (P = 0.19). Patients in the lowest ADI quartile were more likely to be African Americans (P= 0.0001), and more likely to be transferred to our university hospital prior to receiving care (P= 0.007). Arrival Glasgow Coma Scale and Injury Severity Score were similar as was time spent in the emergency room. Length of stay trended longer in the lowest ADI quartile as compared to the higher ADI (7.5 vs. 11.8, P= 0.59). The rates of long term follow-up were significantly lower in patients with the lowest ADI scores as opposed to the higher ADI group (P= 0.0098), however, there was no statistically significant difference in outcomes between the two groups including both complication and amputation rates. The ADI is associated with lower rates of long term follow-up after upper extremity vascular injuries, despite patients in both the high and low ADI groups having similar outcomes in regards to complication and amputation rates. Further study is warranted to investigate the role of the socioeconomic status in outcomes following traumatic injury.

Utility of the Mangled Extremity Severity Score in Predicting Amputation in Military Lower Extremity Arterial Injury.

BACKGROUND: Effective amputation prediction may help inform appropriate early limb salvage efforts in military lower extremity (LE) arterial injury. The Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS) is the most commonly applied system for early amputation prediction but its utility in military trauma is unknown. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of Iraq and Afghanistan casualties with LE arterial injury who underwent a vascular limb salvage attempt. Retrospectively assessed MESS was statistically explored as an amputation predictor and MESS component surrogates (mechanism, vascular injury characteristics, tourniquet use, and transfusion volume) were used to characterize limb injuries by presenting characteristics and evaluated for amputation prediction. RESULTS: A total of 439 limbs were included with 99 (23%) amputations, 29 (7%) within 48 hr of injury. Median MESS was 5 (interquartile range 4-6) among salvaged limbs and 7 (5-9) among amputations (P < 0.0001). An MESS cutoff of ≥7 had a better receiver operating characteristic sensitivity/specificity profile (area under the curve 0.696 overall, 0.765 amputation within 48 hr) than MESS ≥8 (0.593, 0.621), but amputation rates were only 43% for MESS ≥7 and 50% for ≥8. MESS ≥7 was significantly associated with age, polytrauma, blast or crush mechanism, fracture, tourniquet use, distal (popliteal/tibial) and multiple arterial injuries, and massive transfusion. Amputation was significantly associated with polytrauma, blast or crush mechanism, fracture, and massive transfusion; however, 83 casualties had all 4 characteristics with an amputation rate of only 46%. CONCLUSIONS: In combat casualties with arterial injury, LE amputation after attempted vascular limb salvage is inadequately predicted by existing scoring systems or the presenting characteristics available in this registry. Limb loss is predominantly late and likely because of factors not projectable at initial presentation.