Predictive Factors for Failure of Limb Salvage in Blunt Leg Trauma Associated with Vascular Injuries

Blunt leg trauma is common; however, it is rarely associated with significant vascular injury. This study was undertaken to determine the risk factors attributed to failure of limb salvage in acute postoperative period in blunt leg trauma with vascular injuries after revascularization.

A retrospective analysis was conducted of all patients with blunt leg trauma involving bone and soft tissue associated with vascular injuries. They were studied in terms of demographic data, associated comorbidities, mechanism of trauma, associated extra leg injuries, type and nature of bone fractures, soft-tissue injuries, nerve injuries, time of ischemia, Injury Severity Score (ISS), Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS), injured vascular segments, modality of vascular repair, modality of bone fixation, thrombosis at the site of vascular repair, complications, limb salvage failure, and mortality.

Vascular injuries were identified in 45 arterial segments and 9 popliteal veins among 31 patients. The patients were 93% male, with a mean age of 31 years. The MESS ranged from 6 to 11, and the ISS ranged from 9 to 41. The main pathology of the injured vessels was contusion/thrombosis in 28 legs, which were repaired by interposition-reversed long saphenous vein graft. Seven patients developed postoperative thrombosis and underwent thrombectomy/embolectomy. Failure of limb salvage occurred in seven limbs with no mortality.

Severe multi-segmental bone fractures, prolong ischemic time of >10 h, and MESS of ≥9 are significant predictors of limb loss in patients with blunt leg trauma in association with vascular injuries.