Limb loss following lower extremity arterial trauma: what can be done proactively?

We performed a retrospective review of patients admitted to two Level I trauma centres over a 15-year period with arterial injuries (excluding primary amputations). Preoperative factors analysed included mechanism of injury, site and type of arterial and venous injury and repair, time to operating room, initial blood pressure, evidence of ipsilateral limb fracture and/or extensive tissue damage, status of preoperative pulses and angiographic data. One hundred and fifty-one arterial injuries were treated (80 penetrating).