Arterial Injury Portends Worse Soft Tissue Outcomes and Delayed Coverage in Open Tibial Fractures

To investigate if any injury to the three primary branches of the popliteal artery in open tibia fractures lead to increased soft-tissue complications, particularly in the area of the affected angiosome.

Retrospective cohort comparative study.

Two academic level one trauma centers.

Sixty-eight adult patients with open tibia fractures with a minimum one-year follow up.

N/A.

Soft-tissue outcomes as measured by wound healing (delayed healing, dehiscence, or skin breakdown) and fracture related infection (FRI) at time of final follow-up.

Eleven (15.1%) tibia fractures had confirmed arterial injuries via CTA (7), direct intraoperative visualization (3), intraoperative angiogram (3). Ten (91.0%) were treated with ligation and 1 (9.1%) was directly repaired by vascular surgery. Ultimately, 6 (54.5%) achieved radiographic union and 4 (36.4%) required amputation performed at a mean of 2.62 ± 2.04 months, with one patient going on to nonunion diagnosed at 10 months. Patients with arterial injury had significantly higher rates of wound healing complications, FRI, nonunion, amputation rates, return to the OR, and increased time to coverage or closure. After multivariate regression, arterial injury was associated with higher odds of wound complications, FRI, and nonunion. Ten (90.9%) patients with arterial injury had open wounds in the region of the compromised angiosome, with 7 (70%) experiencing wound complications, 6 (60%) FRIs, and 3 (30%) undergoing amputation.

Arterial injuries in open tibia fractures with or without repair, have significantly higher rates of wound healing complications, FRI, delayed time to final closure, and need for amputation. Arterial injuries appear to effect wound healing in the affected angiosome.

Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.