Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
Integrated Compensatory Responses in a Human Model of Hemorrhage
Published on: November 20, 2016
Demographics, treatment, and early outcomes in penetrating vascular combat trauma
Vance Y Sohn1, Zachary M Arthurs, Garth S Herbert
1Department of Surgery, Madigan Army Medical Center, Bldg 9040 Fitzsimmons Dr, Tacoma, WA 98431, USA. vancesohn@hotmail.com
Objectives:
To describe arterial and venous injuries and their management and short-term outcomes in a wartime hospital.
Design:
Retrospective review of patients with vascular injuries. Mechanism, location, method of repair, and outcomes were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics.
Setting:
The 31st Combat Support Hospital, Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Patients:
A total of 153 patients with 218 vascular injuries from January 1, 2004, to December 30, 2004.
Main Outcome Measures:
Limb salvage and mortality rates.
Results:
The overall limb salvage rate was 80%, while all-cause mortality was 6%. Most vascular injuries were sustained by blast and fragmentation mechanisms. Not surprisingly, most vascular injuries were in lower extremity vessels (57% arterial, 50% venous), with a high predominance of superficial femoral vessel injuries. Vascular injuries to the upper extremities were associated with a higher limb salvage rate (95%) than injuries to the lower extremities (71%). Variable follow-up data for 63 (41%) patients revealed that 32 underwent further procedures outside the combat theater, 12 of which were delayed amputations. Of all arterial injuries, 36% were primarily repaired, 34% were repaired with a vein interposition graft, 29% were ligated, and 2% were repaired with a prosthetic graft. A majority of venous injuries (56%) were ligated.
Conclusions:
There is an acceptable early patency and limb salvage rate in combat vascular repairs. A majority of penetrating vascular injuries occur in the lower extremities. Overall, penetrating vascular trauma is often a survivable injury.
