[War injuries of the arteries]

The experience with military vascular injuries in the recent war in Crotia is reviewed. From April 1991 to October 1995, 197 wounded persons with 231 injuries of arteries were admitted to the University Hospital Rebro. The most common injuries were of lower extremity arteries (54.5%), and the most frequent method of repair was revascularisation with saphenous vein graft interposition. Fasciotomies were performed in 34% because of frequent associated injuries of bones (34.5%) and veins (46.7%). In 20.7% casualties pseudoaneurysms and arteriovenous fistulas were found. Postoperative thrombosis (9%) was a consequence of local infection, massive necrosis and sepsis. Amputation rate was 7.7%, and mortality 5.3%. These results are very satisfactory in comparison with the results in literature. This is a result of good organization of our war surgical service: rapid transportation of wounded persons to convenient surgical centres and high surgical skill.