Treatment of vascular injuries associated with limb fractures

Abstract

Introduction: The goal of therapy in all patients with combined orthopaedic and vascular injuries of the extremities is salvage of a functional limb. In this study, we have evaluated our experience with a subset of patients who had a combination of vascular injury and limb fracture.

Patients and methods: The records of 192 patients with vascular injuries of the lower and upper limbs associated with bone fractures were reviewed. Of these, 168 were males and 24 were females; the mean age was 26 years.

Results: The mechanism of injury was a penetrating wound in 97 (51%) patients and blunt trauma in 95 (49%) patients. Injured vessels included 6 subclavian/axillary, 39 brachial, 14 radial/ulnar, 11 radial, 8 ulnar, 36 femoral, 43 popliteal, 35 tibial arteries. Saphenous vein graft was the most common conduit of choice in arterial repair (55%). Amputations were needed for 20 patients. The limb salvage rate was 88%. Three patients died.

Conclusions: This study established that delay in surgery, blunt trauma and extensive soft tissue defect in combined orthopaedic and vascular injuries are associated with increased risk of amputation.