ObjectiveTo discuss the diagnosis, treatment and clinical characteristics of open vascular injuries in the lower extremities and summarize our experiences. Methods To review the records of patients sustained an open injuries to the lower extremities vessel between 1999 and 2001 retrospectively. The clinical, operative findings and prognosis were collected and studied.ResultsAll 25 patients received emergency surgical treatment to repair the vascular injuries. It included 18 with isolated arterial injuries and 7 with combined arteriovenous injuries. Saphenous vein grafts were placed in 5 patients and vascular prostheses were placed in 5 patients with arterial injuries.Twentyfour patients were cured (96%), and 1 graft obstruction occurred (could not be contacted 40 days after operation). ConclusionOpen vascular injuries in the lower extremities should be diagnosed and treated as early as possible. The aim of the operation is to repair or reconstruct the injured vessel and to lower the mortality and morbidity rate.
From June, 1987 through June, 1994, 126 cases of injuries of major arteries of the extremities were treated, in which Nationedmade Teflon artificial vascular prosthesis was used to repair in 20 cases. Eighteen of the twenty cases were operated immediately after initial injury and the other two had secondary operation. The sites of the original injuries were as follows: the external iliac artery in 1, femoral artery in 15, popliteal artery in 2 and the brachial artery in 2. The length of the defect of the artery was measured from 3 to 12cm. In 2 of 20 cases, the artificial vascular prosthesis was used because of the failurs of primary repair from autogenous saphaneous vein graft. The shortterm patency rate was 100 per cent and the longterm patency rate was 95 per cent. The diagnosis of vascular injury, the properties of the artificial vascular prosthesis and the points important in operation were discussed.
Objective To repair defects at both ends of theblood vessels with a considerable disparity in the diameter of the both sides or with a large diameter in extremities by phleboplasty of branched and double autogenous veins. Methods Three kinds of phleboplasties——funnel-shaped, raincape-shaped and transposed Y-shaped were designed. Experiments in fresh blood vessels in vitro were completed successfully. These methods were used clinically to repair injured external iliac veins, femoral arteries and veins, and popliteal arteries and veins, to replant severed fingers and to transplant toenail flaps on thumbs by harvesting autogenous great saphenous veins,small saphenous veins and forearm veins in 36 cases, including 35 cases in emergency operation and 1 case in selective operation.The length of grafted blood vessels ranged from 1.0 cm to 15.0 cm. Results The phleboplasties of funnel-shaped could enlarge the diameter by 1.0-1.25 times inanastomotic stomas. The phleboplasty of raincape-shaped could enlarge the diameter large enough to meet the demands for various blood vessels in extremities. The phleboplasty of transposed Y-shaped could provide large vein transplants. In36 grafted veins, 35 were in patency. The blood supply in extremities was normal.ConclusionThe funnel-shaped and raincape-shaped phleboplasties of branched veins can enlarge the anastomotic stomas of grafted veins. The transposed Y-shaped phleboplasty of double femoral veins is an ideal way to repair injured primaryblood vessels with a considerable disparity in the diameter of the both sides or with a large diameter in extremities.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of free anterolateral thigh flap in repairing hand twist trauma combined with forearm main vascular injury.MethodsBetween February 2016 and March 2020, 14 patients with hand twist trauma combined with forearm main vascular injury were admitted. There were 10 males and 4 females. The mean age was 36.3 years (range, 22-53 years). There were 5 cases with left hand and 9 cases with right hand. The degloving injury of hand was rated as type ⅢA in 2 cases, type ⅢB in 9 cases, and type Ⅳ in 3 cases. The size of soft tissue defects range from 8.0 cm×4.5 cm to 13.5 cm×8.0 cm. Of all patients, 11 cases were ulnar artery injury and 3 cases were radial artery injury. Time from injury to operation was 2-16 hours (mean, 7.1 hours). The free anterolateral thigh flaps with the size of 10.0 cm×5.5 cm to 15.0 cm×9.5 cm were used to repair the soft tissue defects with the “T” shape anastomosis of blood vessel in 8 cases or direct anastomosis of blood vessel in 6 cases. The donor sites were directly sutured in 9 cases and repaired with free skin graft in 5 cases.ResultsAll patients were followed up 6-12 months (mean, 10.5 months). The vascular crisis occurred in 1 case and the flap survived with symptomatic treatment after operation. Other flaps survived and the wounds healed by first intention. All donor sites healed by first intention and the skin grafts survived. Three cases underwent the fat-free trimming at 4-5 months after operation. According to the evaluation standard of the upper limb part of the Chinese Medical Association, the hand function was evaluated as excellent in 4 cases, good in 7 cases, and fair in 3 cases, with an excellent and good rate of 78.6% at last follow-up.ConclusionBecause the diameter of the descending branch of the lateral femoral circumflex artery is similar to that of the ulnar artery and radial artery, the use of free anterolateral thigh flap can not only repair the wound and obtain a good hand shape, but also repair blood vessels and promote recovery of hand function.
ObjectiveTo explore the effectiveness and safety of a new temporary intravascular shunt (TIVS) device for limb injury in dogs.MethodsEighteen adult beagle dogs, male or female, weighing (20±2) kg, were taken for experiment. A semi-amputated limb model was made by circular amputating the knee joint of one hindlimb, which retained only skin, femoral artery, femoral vein, femoral nerve, and femur. Then the femoral artery was clamped for 2 hours in all animals, resulting in the ischemic environment of the distal limbs. The animals were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=6). In group A, the bypass was started by using a new TIVS device and replenishing saline through the infusion port; In group B, after intravenous injection of heparin sodium solution, the bypass was started by using a new TIVS device and replenishing 3% heparin sodium solution through the infusion port; In group C, the bypass was started by using the self-made bypass tube. The bypass was end after 12 hours. The general vital signs (body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure) before and after bypass were measured, and the time required for the insertion of the bypass tube, the patency during the bypass, shedding, and thrombosis were recorded. Routine blood test and blood coagulation indicators [white blood cell (WBC), red blood cell (RBC), platelet (PLT), hemoglobin (HGB), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen (Fib)] and biochemical indicators [lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine kinase (CK)] were recorded before bypass and after 3, 6, 9, and 12 hours of bypass, respectively. The gastrocnemius muscles on the surgical side before and after bypass were harvested and the muscle necrosis, the wet-to-dry weight ratio, and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were measured. In addition, the gastrocnemius muscle and femoral artery were observed after bypass by HE staining.ResultsThere was no significant difference in body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure between groups before and after bypass (P>0.05). Compared with groups A and B, the time required for the insertion of the bypass tube in group C was significantly longer (P<0.05), and the number of thrombus in the bypass tube, the blockage time significantly increased (P<0.05). Shedding and sliding of bypass tube occurred in 3 cases of group C, but no shedding or sliding of bypass tube occurred in groups A and B; there was no significant difference in the incidence of shedding between groups (P=1.000). There was no significant difference (P>0.05) in routine blood test, blood coagulation indicators, LDH, CK, MPO, MDA, and wet-to-dry weight ratio between groups before bypass. After bypass, the routine blood test and blood coagulation indicators of the 3 groups did not change significantly, and the differences between groups was not significant (P>0.05); LDH and CK gradually increased (P<0.05), and group C significantly higher than groups A and B at 12 hours (P<0.05). After bypass, thrombosis was seen in the bypass tube, the distal gastrocnemius muscle necrosis occurred in group C, and the femoral artery injury was slightly heavier than that in groups A and B.ConclusionThe new TIVS device is safe and effective and has the advantages of convenient implantation, lower thrombosis rate, and less limb ischemia-reperfusion injury.