PURPOSE: Outcomes of peripheral arterial injury (PAI) depend on various factors, such as warm ischemia time and concomitant injuries. Suboptimal prehospital care may lead to delayed presentation, and a lack of dedicated trauma system may lead to poorer outcome. Also, there are few reports of these outcomes. The study aims to review our experience of PAI management for more than a decade, and identify the predictors of limb loss in these patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of prospectively maintained database of trauma admissions at a level I trauma center from January 2008 to December 2019. Patients with acute upper limb arterial injuries or lower limb arterial injuries at or above the level of popliteal artery were included. Association of limb loss with ischemia time, mechanism of injury, and concomitant injuries was studied using multiple logistic regressions. Statistical analysis was performed using STATA version 15.0 (Stata Corp LLC, Texas). RESULTS: Out of 716 patients with PAI, the majority (91.9%) were young males. Blunt trauma was the most common mechanism of injury. Median ischemia time was 4 h (interquartile range 2-7 h). Brachial artery (28.5%) was the most common injured vessel followed by popliteal artery (17.5%) and femoral artery (17.3%). Limb salvage rate was 78%. Out of them, 158 (22.1%) patients needed amputation, and 53 (7.4%) had undergone primary amputation. The majority (88.6%) of patients who required primary or secondary amputations had blunt trauma. On multivariate analysis, blunt trauma, ischemia time more than 6 h and concomitant venous, skeletal, and soft tissue injuries were associated with higher odds of amputation. CONCLUSION Over all limb salvage rates was 77.9% in our series. Blunt mechanism of injury and associated skeletal and soft tissue injury, ischemia time more than 6 h portend a poor prognosis. Injury prevention, robust prehospital care, and rapid referral to specialized trauma center are few efficient measures, which can decrease the morbidity associated with vascular injury.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Vascular System Injuries/surgery* ; Limb Salvage/methods* ; Aged ; Amputation, Surgical ; Popliteal Artery/injuries*

Objective: To analyze the treatment and clinical prognosis of lower extremity arterial injury caused by trauma. Methods: The clinical data of 77 patients with traumatic lower extremity arterial injury admitted to Department of Vascular Surgery,Yichang Central People's Hospital from January 2013 to June 2021 were collected retrospectively. There were 65 males and 12 females, with an average age of 47.4 years (range: 7 to 75 years). Among the 77 patients, 56 cases (72.7%) had open injury and 21 cases (27.3%) had closed injury. Iliac artery was injured in 9 cases (11.7%), common femoral artery in 7 cases (9.1%), superficial femoral artery in 1 case (1.3%), popliteal artery in 11 cases (14.3%) and inferior knee artery in 49 cases (63.6%). The treatment methods and clinical effects were analyzed. Results: One case with pelvic fracture combined the internal iliac artery injury and 1 case with multiple injuries involving the common femoral artery died of circulatory failure before surgery. Seventy-five cases received vascular-related operations, including arterial ligation in 24 cases, arterial reconstruction in 40 cases, stent graft implantation in 1 case, primary amputation in 2 cases, and arterial embolization in 8 cases. The overall mortality rate was 6.5% (5/77), all of which were closed injuries. Except for 2 cases who died before surgery, 3 cases with pelvic fracture combined the internal iliac artery injury died of multiple organ failure after internal iliac artery embolization. There were 8 cases received amputation (10.4%, 8/77), 5 cases with closed injury and 3 cases with open injury. In addition to 2 cases with primary amputation, 6 cases underwent secondary amputation due to ischemia-reperfusion injury after revascularization (4 cases with popliteal artery injury and 2 cases with subpatellar artery injury). The average followed-up time was 17 months (range: 2 months to 8 years). One patient with femoral artery injury underwent autologous great saphenous vein bypass, and lower limb artery CT angiography was re-examined 6 months after the operation, and 30% distal anastomotic stenosis was found. Ankle brachial index<0.8 was found in two patients 1 year after popliteal artery repair, but none of the patients had intermittent claudication symptoms, and no further intervention was performed. Five patients suffered delayed healing due to severe lower limb injury, fracture and skin injury. Among them, 2 cases had poor wound healing at the stump of amputation, which gradually healed 3 to 5 months after several debridements. The other 3 vascular injury combined with tibial fracture patients had delayed tibial healing after surgery, but no symptoms of vascular ischemia occurred. All the other patients recovered well and no other serious complications occurred. Conclusions: The proportion of death and disability in patients with lower limb artery injury caused by trauma is high. Active and orderly surgical repair according to the site and type of injury can reduce the mortality, save the function of the affected limb, and promote the healing of injury.
Amputation ; Female ; Femoral Artery ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Popliteal Artery/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular System Injuries/surgery*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the early diagnosis and treatment for trauma around the knee with popliteal vascular injury.

METHODSA retrospective analysis was employed to analyze the clinical data from 15 patients (9 males and 6 females were with a mean age of 39.2 years old,ranging from 26 to 62 years old) with fracture or dislocation around the knee with popliteal vascular injury from January 2007 to January 2013. Combined with clinical symptoms and signs, oxygen saturation monitors, color ultrasound, DSA angiography and interventional surgery were used to determine the vascular injury. The knee fracture and dislocation were fixed with hybrid external fixation and plate-screw fixation, respectively. Then, the blood circulation was reconstructed by thrombectomy, repair and autologous vein graft for individual injured vascular. The average total operation time, average hospitalization days, predictive salvage index (PSI), average blood transfusion amount, average medical expenses and infection cases were recorded to determine the effect of early diagnosis and treatment.

RESULTSThere was one patient with death, 8 patients with amputation, and 6 patients with successful repair surgery for popliteal artery, anterior tibial and posterior tibial arteries. These six patients with surviving limbs were followed up for an average of 28.3 months (ranged, 12 to 60 months). Among the 6 successful patients, the joint function of 4 patients was good and excellent.

CONCLUSIONThe trauma around the knee with popliteal vascular injury is characterized by complex and serious injury, easy misdiagnosis and loss diagnosis, poor prognosis and high risk of amputation. The early diagnosis of trauma around the knee with popliteal vascular injury should depend on the mechanism of trauma, local anatomical characteristics of injury site, clinical presentations and appropriate auxiliary examinations. The appropriate indications for limb salvage and amputation should be used to achieve more effective clinical results.

Adult ; Early Diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Injuries ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Popliteal Artery ; injuries ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies

Adolescent ; Adult ; Female ; Fractures, Bone ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Humans ; Knee Injuries ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Popliteal Artery ; injuries

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical application of the medial approach for repairing popliteal artery injuries.

METHODSFrom 2002 to 2008, 11 cases of popliteal artery injuries had been repaired via the medial approach. Of these cases, 8 had limb fractures, 1 had knee dislocation, and 2 had visceral injuries. Ten popliteal arteries were anastomosed directly while one was repaired with a great saphenous vein graft.

RESULTSThe operation time ranged from 3 to 4 hours (averaging 3.6 hours). All the injured limbs survived. At the follow up, 8 legs recovered the full function, 2 had minor contracture, and 1 serious Volkmann's contracture without amputation.

CONCLUSIONThe medial approach for repair of the popliteal artery is effective, applicable, and more advantageous to the management of multi-injures.

Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Leg Injuries ; surgery ; Male ; Popliteal Artery ; injuries ; surgery

Failure to recognize popliteal artery injury and restore vessel continuity of flow after blunt trauma is a major cause of lower extremity amputation and morbidity. A high index of suspicion and early recognition of the injury are paramount for limb salvage. We experienced a rare case of poplitial artery occlusion with the presence of arterial pulses due to collateral circulation after blunt trauma. Expeditious revascularization was achieved by using posterior approach, allowing two surgical teams to work simultaneously. This case illustrates that, even in the absence of knee dislocation, surgeons must always consider the possibility of a popliteal artery damage whenever a blunt trauma near the knee.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Dislocation ; *Knee Injuries/complications/surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Popliteal Artery/*injuries/surgery ; Treatment Outcome

Failure to recognize popliteal artery injury and restore vessel continuity of flow after blunt trauma is a major cause of lower extremity amputation and morbidity. A high index of suspicion and early recognition of the injury are paramount for limb salvage. We experienced a rare case of poplitial artery occlusion with the presence of arterial pulses due to collateral circulation after blunt trauma. Expeditious revascularization was achieved by using posterior approach, allowing two surgical teams to work simultaneously. This case illustrates that, even in the absence of knee dislocation, surgeons must always consider the possibility of a popliteal artery damage whenever a blunt trauma near the knee.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Dislocation ; *Knee Injuries/complications/surgery ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Popliteal Artery/*injuries/surgery ; Treatment Outcome

Severe injury to the knee and the surrounding area is frequently associated with injury to ligaments of the knee joint and structures in the popliteal fossa. This case involved a popliteal artery occlusion, severe bone loss of distal femur, loss of collateral ligaments, and extensor mechanism destruction of the knee. Initially, prompt recognition and correction of associated popliteal artery injury are important for good results after treatment. After successful revascularization, treatment for severe bone loss of distal femur and injury of the knee joint must be followed. We treated this case by delayed reconstruction using modular segmental endoprosthesis after revascularization of the popliteal artery. This allowed early ambulation. At 36 months after surgery, the patient had good circulation of the lower limb and was ambulating independently.
*Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Femur/*injuries/radiography/*surgery ; Humans ; Internal Fixators ; Knee Injuries/*surgery ; Knee Joint/surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Popliteal Artery/*injuries/radiography/*surgery

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect and influence factors on knee joint peripheral fractures and/or dislocations with an associated vascular injury through retrospectively study.

METHODSFrom March 2002 to November 2007 31 patients with knee joint peripheral fractures and/or dislocations with an associated vascular injury were treated, including 24 males and 7 females with a mean age of 41 years (range from 21 to 62 years). Definite diagnosis of vascular injury by combining colored ultrasonic, CTA, operative exploration with clinical signs, fixing fractures and/or dislocations with fixators, plates and screws, reconstructing blood circulation based on the condition of the vascular injury by vascular repair, homograft vein or artificial vascular grafting separately and analysing the effects of PSI, diagnosis and treatment methods on salvage lower extremities.

RESULTSSuccessful reconstruction was carried out in 31 cases, however there were 1 death because of mult-fractures and brain injury and 6 amputation, 24 cases successful salvage followed up mean 24.2 months, 6 cases bone nonunion and infected bone defect were cured by delayed bone planting or bone transportation. Ligaments repair reconstruction of 7 cases knee joint dislocation were done in delayed 3 or 4 weeks after first operation, the good functional rate was 71.4%.

CONCLUSIONSThe patients of PSI under 10 grades in knee joint peripheral fractures and/or dislocations with an associated vascular injury should been carried out treatment, early definite diagnosis and blood circulation reconstruction are the key factors of successful salvage treatment.

Adult ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fractures, Bone ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Humans ; Knee Dislocation ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Knee Injuries ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Popliteal Artery ; injuries ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Grafting ; Vascular System Injuries ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Young Adult

Child ; Growth Plate ; blood supply ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Popliteal Artery ; pathology ; Salter-Harris Fractures ; Tibia ; blood supply ; diagnostic imaging ; injuries ; surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed