Vascular Surgeons Carry an Increasing Responsibility in the Management of Lower Extremity Vascular Trauma

There is preliminary evidence that vascular surgeons are increasingly relied on nationally to assist with the management of lower extremity vascular trauma. Current trauma center verification, however, does not require any level of vascular surgery coverage. We sought to assess practice patterns regarding vascular surgery consultation and temporal trends in the surgical management of these patients.

A retrospective analysis was performed on all patients who underwent surgical repair for vascular trauma of the lower extremity at a single, academic, public hospital from 2011 to 2018. Demographic data and procedural data were collected. Patients were assigned to a vascular surgery (VS) or nonvascular surgery (NV) group. The primary outcome measure was the rate of VS consultation. Secondary outcome measures included 30-day mortality, length-of-stay, and limb salvage.

One hundred eighty patients were identified (77 VS group, 103 NV group). There was an increase in the proportion of repairs done by VS from 2011 to 2018 (P < 0.05). There were significant management differences between the 2 groups, with vascular surgeons more likely to perform primary end-to-end anastomosis for both arterial (21.33% vs. 6.90%) and venous (19.15% vs. 5.26%) injuries (both P < 0.05). Patients in the VS group were less likely to have balloon embolectomy, fasciotomy, or intravascular shunting than the NV group (all P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in mortality (5.35% vs. 4.85%), length-of-stay (15.05 vs. 18.38 days), or limb salvage (94.81% vs. 95.15%).

Lower extremity vascular trauma is increasingly managed by vascular surgeons. Furthermore, vascular surgeons are more selective in the use of potentially unnecessary adjunctive maneuvers. Current accreditation guidelines should be revisited to mandate vascular surgery coverage in trauma centers that frequently treat this patient population.