Factors Contributing to Morbidity after Combined Arterial and Venous Lower Extremity Trauma

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of management of venous injury on clinical outcomes in patients with combined lower extremity arterial and venous trauma. Patients with common and external iliac, common and superficial femoral, and popliteal artery injuries were identified. Patients who underwent vein repair and those who received vein ligation were compared. The analysis was repeated for those patients who required secondary intervention for their arterial injury and those who did not require secondary intervention. Seventy patients were identified with both arterial and venous injuries: 40 underwent vein ligation and 30 received vein repair. There was no difference in ischemic time between patients undergoing vein repair compared with ligation. Vein ligation did not produce a higher incidence of muscle debridement (10% vs 15%, P = 0.72), necessity for secondary intervention (10% vs 7.5%, P = 0.99), or amputation (3.3% vs 7.5%, P = 0.63). Patients who required secondary intervention had a greater degree of shock on presentation (packed red blood cells (PRBC), 13 units vs 6 units, P = 0.02) and were more likely to require muscle debridement (50% vs 9%, P = 0.02) and amputation (33% vs 3%, P = 0.03). Vein ligation did not impact muscle ischemia or success of arterial repair in patients with combined venous and arterial trauma in the lower extremities. Patient morbidity after extremity vascular trauma is most related to degree of shock.