Management of small arterial injuries: clinical and experimental studies

Twenty-five patients with 35 severed small arteries of the wrist, calf, or ankle are presented. Included are six cases of total ischemia of the wrist or ankle. Twenty-two repairs and thirteen ligations were performed. There was only one amputation from arterial insufficiency. We recommend repair both to preserve tissue and to restore optimum flow. By use of meticulous interrupted suture technique, optical magnification, and heparin and aspirin administration, a high degree of arterial patency can be achieved.