Factors Predicting the Outcome of Musculoskeletal Injuries Associated with Vascular Trauma at a Tertiary Care Trauma Centre in South India

Introduction: Vascular injuries are uncommon in civilian settings and present after blunt and or penetrating trauma. These injuries require timely intervention to prevent loss of limb or life. The impact of vascular injuries is well described in the Western population; however, there is a lack of evidence of factors predicting the outcomes of vascular injuries associated with musculoskeletal trauma in the Indian population. Methods: The retrospective data of consecutive trauma patients presenting to our emergency/outpatient department were collected over 5 years from January 2014 to December 2019 from our electronic medical records. After clinical assessment and/or radiological findings, patients were considered for either nonoperative management or vascular repair. Orthopedic intervention preceded vascular repair to attain skeletal stabilization and to protect vascular repair. Outcomes were measured in terms of baseline demographic variables, clinical determinants, pattern of injury, type of management, limb salvage, and primary or secondary amputations and mortality. Results: There were a total of 109 (92%) males and 3 (8%) females with an age range from 11 to 71 years (median = 35.5). The majority of the injuries were in the 30–50 years age group ( n = 50, 50%). Limb salvageability was attained in 81 (72.3%) patients. Twenty patients (17.9%) underwent primary amputations and 11 (9.8%) patients required secondary amputations. Blunt trauma, lower limb involvement, multiple fractures, the Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS), and popliteal artery injury were significant predictors of limb salvageability. Stepwise multiple regression analysis identified multiple fractures ( P = 0.011) and MESS ( P = 0.000) as ultimate predictors of limb outcome. Conclusion: Revascularization is critical to the success of limb salvage in patients with traumatic vascular injury. Concomitant orthopedic injuries pose significant challenges and are associated with a high risk of limb loss. Multiple fractures and MESS score ≥6 prognosticates poor limb salvageability.