Diagnosis and Treatment of Limb Fractures Associated with Acute Peripheral Ischemia
G.I. Popescu, O. Lupescu, M. Nagea, C. PatruOriginal article, no. 5, 2013
Acute Peripheral Ischemia (API) is the most severe acutecomplication after both open and closed fractures, asischemia compromises not only the vitality of the affectedlimb, but also the patient’s life, because metabolic anaerobicchanges following ischemia have serious local and generalconsequences. These explain why early diagnosis of API isvery important for the prognosis of the traumatized limb.The authors analyse cases when API was not diagnosedimmediately after trauma, but some time after the firstexamination, due to either low systolic BP or to late onsetof API. The patients were analysed concerning the type ofthe fracture, the reason for delayed diagnosis of API, themoment of API diagnosis and the arterial injury. In all thosecases, surgery was performed immediately after APIdiagnosis, in order to identify and treat the complex injuries(bone and vascular).
