[Current problems posed by arterial injuries in hospital practice]

The authors analyse a series of 100 arterial lesions in respect to the localization, the time elapsed between the accident and reconstructive surgery, and the number of associated lesions (two or more). The results confirm the prognostic importance of the factor time: 83% of the good results are obtained in the first twelve hours, and only 67.5% after twelve hours. The results seen with popliteal and tibial lesions show a steady improvement from a 50% amputation rate twenty years ago to a 21.6% rate at the present time. The presence of associated lesions is equally important in the outcome: isolated arterial lesions (or accompanied by no more than two other anomalies) are successfully treated in 91% of the patients, opposed to 50% when loco-regional lesions are found (bone, skin, veins, nerves, muscles). The optional treatment of these complex traumatisms should be by means of a multidisciplinary approach.