Successful ankle replantation in two cases with different presentations

Area of Science:

• Trauma surgery
• Orthopedic surgery
• Microsurgery

Background:

• Limb amputation presents significant challenges in trauma care.
• Replantation offers a chance for limb salvage in severe injuries.
• Ankle amputations require specialized surgical approaches.

Observation:

• Two patients with distinct ankle amputation presentations were treated.
• Case 1: A clean-cut amputation.
• Case 2: An avulsion injury from a motor vehicle accident, with an 8-hour delay to treatment.

Findings:

• Successful replantation was achieved in both cases.
• Replantation of avulsion injuries necessitates a staged approach, including secondary wound coverage.
• Effective surgical strategy and a multidisciplinary team are crucial for limb survival.

Implications:

• This case series highlights the feasibility of replantation even in complex avulsion injuries.
• Optimized perioperative care and surgical planning can lead to favorable outcomes in lower extremity replantation.
• Further research into optimizing wound management protocols for avulsion amputations is warranted.