‘Penetrating Vascular Trauma on the Rise in Civilian Practice

Abstract

Trauma is one of the leading cause of death throughout the world’. Many of the patients have multiple injuries, but wounds of major vascular structures are the sole cause or major contributing cause in many of the deaths and even those patients who survive may experience disability as a result of vascular injury that lead to amputation of limbs or impaired function. Unrecognized or untreated vascular injuries lead to painfully obvious gangrene or contracture. Penetrating trauma is much more common than blunt trauma. For the last decade there has been an increase in the number of cases with penetrating vascular injuries in our country. This is understandable because of the increased violence due to lawlessness, sectarian violence, free availability of sophisticated firearms and several social, economic and ethnic reasons. An analysis of management of 40 patients with penetrating vascular injuries who presented in the casualty department of Mayo Hospital ¡s made. Evaluation of results obtained is done and comparison with other studies made. Most of the patients reaching the hospital with suspected arterial injuries are young males. In our study of 40 patients 36(90%) patients were male and 4(10%) patients were female. Most common cause of penetrating vascular trauma were gunshot wounds, i.e. 70% of the total cases. Stab wounds were responsible for 22.5% of cases. Extremity injuries predominate over truncal injuries. In our setting the approach of direct exploration in the case of overt clinical sign is the best. Different factors for the failure of vascular repair have been note and discussed. Successful management is largely dependent on meticulous surgical technique.