[Arterial surgery of the upper limb]

Arterial surgery of the upper limb represents 2.5% of peripheral vascular procedures in our center. From 1976 to 1989, 58 procedures were performed in 45 patients. There were 26 men and 19 women with average age of 52 years, ranging from 6 to 92 years. These patients were grouped in three categories according to etiology: 1) trauma; 2) acute non traumatic ischemia and 3) chronic ischemia. Sixteen patients (35.5%) were operated on for arterial trauma including three false aneurysms. Blunt trauma was the cause in 9 patients, penetrating in 6 and iatrogenic in one. Angioplasty and primary end to end anastomosis were used in 6, bypass in 4, simple ligation in 3, thrombectomy in 3. The outcome was excellent in 15/16 (93%). Non traumatic acute ischemia occurred in 16 patients (35.5%) and was due to emboli of cardiac origin in 92%. All patients were treated by thromboembolectomy. This group had a high mortality (5/16, 31%) because of associated medical conditions. The third group of 13 patients (29%) underwent surgery for chronic ischemia of the upper limb localized to the subclavian artery in 92%. They were treated with carotid subclavian bypasses in 9, other types of bypass in 3 and endarterectomy in 1. Excellent results were obtained in 10/13 (78%). Overall, satisfactory results were obtained in 90% of surviving patients. Operative mortality was 11.1% and the amputation rate was 13%.