[Vascular reconstruction following trauma. Experience in Basel 1980-1988]

From 1980-1988 twenty patients with vascular trauma were treated at the Kantonsspital Basel, Switzerland. The incidence of 1% in open fractures is low. Nerve lesions in combination with vascular trauma are very frequent, specially at the upper extremity. Nearly all patients were treated with the interposition of a venous graft from the vena saphena magna. We deplore 3 amputations after successful vascular reconstruction, mainly due to extensive bone and soft tissue damage. Our long-term control shows very satisfying vascular results, but poor neurological results. We therefore conclude that the functional outcome is--apart from a short ischemia time--highly related to the neurological situation at the time of the trauma.