[Simultaneous reimplantation of both lower legs--5-year follow-up (case report)]

Traumatic Peripheral Arterial Injury with Open Repair: A 10-Year Single-Institutional Analysis

Background

We report our 10-year experience with traumatic peripheral arterial injury repair at an urban level I trauma center.

Methods

Between January 2007 and December 2016, 28 adult trauma patients presented with traumatic peripheral arterial injuries. Data were retrospectively collected on demographic characteristics, the mechanism of injury, the type of vascular injury, and physiological status on initial assessment. The analysis also included the Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS), Injury Severity Score, surgical procedures, and outcome variables including limb salvage, hospital stay, intensive care unit stay, and postoperative vascular complications.

Results

Four (14.3%) patients required amputation due to failed revascularization. MESS significantly differed between patients with blunt and penetrating trauma (8.2±2.2 vs. 5.8±1.3, respectively; p=0.005). The amputation rate was not significantly different between patients with blunt and penetrating trauma (20% vs. 0%, respectively; p=0.295). The overall mortality rate was 3.6% (1 patient).

Conclusion

Blunt trauma was associated with higher MESS than penetrating trauma, and amputation was more frequent. In particular, patients with blunt trauma had significantly higher MESS than patients with penetrating trauma (8.2±2.2 vs. 5.8±1.3, respectively; p=0.005), and amputation was performed when revascularization failed in cases of blunt trauma of the lower extremity. Therefore, particular care is needed in making treatment decisions for patients with peripheral arterial injuries caused by blunt trauma.

Establishing an Evaluation System and Limb-Salvage Protocol for Mangled Lower Extremities in China

Road traffic accident-related severely injured extremities account for the majority of disabilities in young people in China. Limb-salvage concepts and techniques vary greatly from physician to physician and from district to district in China. Current severity-scoring systems for lower-extremity injuries lack sensitivity and cannot be used as the sole criterion by which amputation decisions are made. China lacks a national database of mangled lower extremities, which is a priority for both limb-salvage protocols and scoring system development.