Lower Limb Vascular Trauma

Dr Saeed Al-Shomimi

Vascular Unit

KFHU – Khobar – Saudi Arabia

2006

Introduction

Complex extremity trauma involving both arterial and skeletal injuries is rare, comprising only 0.2% of all military and civilian trauma, and only 0.5%-1.7% of all extremity fractures and dislocations

Combined arterial and skeletal extremity trauma imparts a substantially higher risk of limb loss and limb morbidity than do isolated skeletal and arterial injuries.

Debakey and Simeone documented this in WWII battle casualties, in which all injured arteries were ligated, reporting amputation in 60% of all combined injuries and 42% in isolated arterial injuries

Norman Rich , collecting further data

The amputation rate from vascular injury in the Korean War and the Vietnam War dropped to approximately 15%

Peripheral injuries account for 80% of all cases of vascular trauma.

The lower extremities are involved in two thirds of all patients with vascular injuries.

90% of patients with vascular trauma are male

Etiology

Gunshot wounds, 70-80% of all vascular injuries requiring intervention.

Stab wounds (5-10% of cases require intervention)

Blunt trauma (5-10% of cases): Presence of fracture or dislocation increases the risk.

Iatrogenic injury (5% of cases): Endovascular procedures central line placement

Clinical Presentation

Hard Signs Active or pulsatile hemorrhage Pulsatile or expanding hematoma Signs of limb ischemia and elevated compartment

pressure including the 5 "P's“: Pallor paresthesia pulse deficit paralysis pain

Diminished or absent pulses Bruit or thrill is( present in 45% of patients with an

arteriovenous fistula)

Soft Signs

Hypotension or shock Neurologic deficit due to primary nerve injury occurs

immediately after injury. In contrast, ischemic neuropathy is delayed in onset (minutes to hours).

Stable, nonpulsatile or small hematoma Proximity of the wound to major vascular structures

( Beware of bone fr. ! )

Complications Delayed diagnosis and treatment may result in

thrombosis Embolization Rupture with hemorrhage.

Risk factors for amputation include elevated compartment pressure arterial transection associated open fractures the combination of injuries above and below the knee.

CAN VASCULAR TRAUMA HAVE A CHRONIC PRESENTATION?

Arteriovenous fistulae typically take months to mature and often require

surgical repair.

Pseudoaneurysms may resolve completely or grow over time

presenting months to years later. They may cause neuropathy due to compression or embolization, or they may present as a growing pulsatile mass.

Intimal tears and flaps generally heal spontaneously.

Segmental narrowing can present with diminished flow but intact pulses.

This injury may resolve spontaneously with fluids and rest, or it occasionally may require surgical intervention.

N.B. Approximately 10% of patients with nonocclusive, clinically

occult injuries require repair within a month of initial injury.

The remaining 90% of patients do not report symptoms or see a physician for vascular problems during long-term follow-up.

Patterns of Vascular Injury

Complete TransectionPartial Tear

Contusion-ThrombosisSpasm

Diagnosis

Hard signs of Vascular Injury

Diagnostic Adjuncts

Pulse Oximetry: A reduction in

oximeter readings from one limb, as compared to another is suggestive of, but neither confirms nor excludes a significant vascular injury

Doppler Ultrasound A diminished, but palpable pulse is a soft sign of

vascular injury. Similarly, a reduction in the anle-brachial pressure index (ABPI) in the presence of a palpable pulse does not indicate the presence of a vascular injury requiring intervention. Doppler ultrasound is therefore adds little to careful clinical examination.

Duplex Ultrasound Duplex can detect intimal

tears, thrombosis, false aneurysms and arteriovenous fistulae. Its place in the assessment of vascular injury is as yet not completely definded, but it has a high sensitivity and may be appropriate for use as a screening tool.

Angiography Angiography remains the gold-

standard investigation for the further investigation and delineation of vascular injury. In most traumatic injury settings, angiography is best performed in the operating room, with the surgeon exposing the vessel proximal to the injury for control and expediency

Management

Immediate Haemorrhage Control

Direct pressure over the site of injury One individual to manually compress the site of

haemorrhage. Deep knife or gunshot track → catheter If angiography is performed prior to surgery, it

may be possible to obtain proximal control by passing an angioplasty balloon catheter into the proximal vessel and inflating the balloon

Volume resuscitation

Prior to haemorrhage control :minimal fluids should be administered Raising the blood pressure will increase

haemorrhage from the vessel injury and dislodge any clot that has already formed.

Systolic blood pressure can be maintained at a level that is appropriate for perfusion of the brain

After:aggressive volume resuscitation to restore

circulating blood volume. Warmed fluids -crystalloid, blood or clotting

factors as necessary -are administered to correct acidosis, hypothermia and coagulopathy,

Operative Strategy Laceration:

Suturing vein (or synthetic) patch

Transection Direct suturing

Transection graft

Contusion- Thrombosis

Managed in a similar way to transection In either way ,

Thrombectomy is Part of the Procedure

Damage Control Surgery

Ligation Ligation of the exteral iliac artery, common femoral or

superficial femoral have a signficant risk of critical limb ischaemia following ligation.

Ischaemia is more likely if there is significant soft tissue injury and distruction of supporting collateral circulation

Almost all veins, including the inferior vena cava, can be ligated where necessary

Shunting : Where there is a significant risk of limb loss, or other

serios consequence of ligation, intraluminal shunts may be employed to temporarily restore flow.

shunts can be rapidly constructed out of sterile intravenous tubing or chest tubes for larger calibre vessels.

Where there is a vascular injury associated with a fracture, and there is a risk of orthopaedic manoeuvers disrupting an arterial repair, shunts may be employed to temporarily restore flow to an injured limb.

Lower Limb Vascular Trauma

Feb – March KFU Experience

))Combined Orthopaedic + Vascular Trauma((

38 yrs Indian male 2 hrs Hx of brick wall falling on his Rt L.L Presented to ER

Hemodynamically stable Open Fr. Rt tibial plateau (small puncture

wound in lateral aspect of the leg) Cold & pale Rt foot No associated injuries • Intra-cranial

• Intra-thoracic• Intra-abdominal

CASE 1

The Pt referred to Ortho team initially Back slab applied to stabilize the Fr. The vascular team was called

Prompt initial assessment revealed Absent pedal pulses on Rt lower limb Preserved sensations despite other signs of acute

ischemia PulselessPalorParasthesiaPain

Prompt Doppler assessment revealed no detectable flow over D.pedis & P.tibial

CT angiogram showed Normal flow till segment 2 of Popliteal artery Cut off contrast @ trifurcation Then refill of only distal P.T artery No visualization of A.Tibial artery

Conventional angiogram confirmed the findings (Extent / Pedal arches)

Intra-operatively

Totally transected A.Tibial atrey (crushed distally)

Contusion thrombosis T.P trunk Ligation of A.Tibial artery Excision of the contused T.P trunk Embolectomy with Fogarty cath Interposition vein grafting

Progress

Pt did well The vascularity remained intact He developed foot drop (torn muscles)

Not ischemic neuropathy Skin grafting was done He was discharged with the Ex Fix He regained intact P.tibial pulse & well

perfused foot

CASE 2

26 yrs Saudi, Male RTA, intoxicated Brought to ER Conscious, drowsy

VS stable Bilateral knee pain & bruises Fracture Lt inferior ramus (pelvis) L.L. x-rays showed Rt tibial plateau fracture

CT angiogram was done It showed

Vascular injury @ the level of segment 2 of the Popliteal artery

No distal run off

PD

PD

P D

P D

Post OP

He had arterial spasm Confirmed by CT angiogram He recovered form the spasm in few

hours The limb was warm with palpable pulses

Both P.tibial & D.pedis With good Doppler signals Transferred to KFMC

THANK YOU