Citation

Degiannis E, Levy RD, Potokar T, Saadia R. Aust. N. Zeal. J. Surg. 1995; 65(5): 327-330.

Affiliation

Department of Surgery, Baragwanath Hospital, University of Witwatersrand Medical School, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1995, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7741675

Abstract

This is a retrospective study of 32 patients with penetrating injury of the axillary artery. There was an overall mortality of 6% entirely accounted for by associated injuries. Pre-operative angiography was used in 12 of these patients either to confirm the presence of an injury or to define its location. Twelve patients underwent lateral arteriorrhaphy or an end-to-end anastomosis and 19 patients had an interposition graft. No immediate problems were experienced with polytetrafluoroethylene grafts compared with autogenous vein grafts. There were 14 patients with a concomitant venous injury; 13 were repaired and only transient arm oedema was experienced. Eleven patients had a brachial plexus injury and, of these, nine underwent a secondary nerve repair with a poor outcome. Axillary artery injury has a good prognosis with a morbidity related mainly to associated nerve injury and a mortality accounted for by injuries to other body systems.

Language: en