Diagnosis and treatment of acute lower extremity arterial injury:experience of 125 cases / 中国普通外科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To sum up the experience in the diagnosis and management of acute lower extremity arterial injury.Methods Between Jan 1988 and Feb 2004,125 cases of lower limb arterial injuries were admitted and undergoing surgery, including gunshot in 3 cases, blunt trauma in 56 and stabbing in 66 cases. Associated injuries included bony injury in 36 cases, nerve injury in 11 cases, and vein injury in 23 cases. Arterial primary or patch repair was performed in 28 cases, end-to-end anastomosis in 37 cases, saphenous vein graft used in 32 cases, prosthetic graft bypass in 23 cases, thrombectomy in 2 cases and blood vessel ligation in 3 cases.Results Limb salvage rate was 85.6% and patient survival of 98.4%. Massive bleeding and multiple organ failure caused mortality in one each. The rate of amputation is 10.4%(13/125), with preoperative gangrene being present in 8 cases.Conclusion Lower extremity arterial injury carries a high amputation rate. The use of Doppler scanner is helpful for early diagnosis. An ankle/brachial index of less than 1 in the affected limb was considered as a positive sign of arterial injury. Prompt revascularization and early fasciectomy are important to reduce amputation rate and mortality.