Citation

Weimann S, San Nicolo M, Sandbichler P, Hafele G, Flora G. J. Cardiovasc. Surg. (Torino) 1987; 28(2): 145-151.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1987, Edizioni Minerva Medica)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3558463

Abstract

An 18 year experience involved 36 civilian popliteal artery injuries is described. There were no operative or hospital deaths and the amputation rate was 3.6%. Penetrating traumas accounted for 30.6% and blunt traumas for 69.4%. In 20 patients (55.5%) the popliteal artery injury was associated with fracture and/or dislocation of the long bones and/or the knee joint. The average ischaemic time was 7.3 hours and postoperative angiography was performed in 25 patients (69.4%). Surgical reconstruction of the popliteal artery was accomplished by interposition or bypass of autogenous saphenous vein graft in 29 (80.5%), by saphenous vein patch in 5 (13.9%) and by primary end-to-end anastomosis in 1 (2.8%) and by PTFE prosthesis in 1 patient (2.8%). In all cases with bone fracture and/or dislocation bone stabilization was followed by the vascular procedure. The average time of follow-up was 76 months, 28 patients could be evaluated in the postoperative study: in 25 (89.2%) the reconstruction was patent, in 3 (10.8%) occluded. In 13 patients (46.4%) there was a complete success, 7 had a nerve deficit (25.0%), 3 had a claudication (10.7%), in one patient an amputation was necessary (3.6%) and 4 (14.3%) suffered from miscellaneous skeletal problems. Of the 36 patients originally operated, 29 (80.5%) received anticoagulant therapy for at least one year.

Language: en