MANAGEMENT OF VASCULAR INJURIES OF THE EXTREMITIES - 115 CASES

Abstract

In between the years 1984-1989, 115 peripheral arterial injuries were admitted to the Emergency Surgical Unit of Istanbul Medical Faculty. Seventy-two patients (62%) had upper extremity and 43 patinets (38%) had lower extremity vascular injuries. Twenty-eight of these cases (24%) were due to blunt trauma, angiographic studies were obtained in 26 patients. There were 9.5% mortality and 7% amputation rate. We conclude that arterial injuries deserves early recognition, rapid fixation of osseous injuries, wide debridement, fasciotomy in blunt injuries and proper antimicrobial therapy.