Traumatic Pseudoaneurysms of Peripheral Arteries and Their Surgical Management

Abstract

From 1977 through 1990, 60 patients who had traumatic pseudoaneurysms underwent surgical treatment at Dicle University, School of Medicine, Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Department; 65% of the aneurysms were localized at lower extremities and 35% at upper extremities. The most frequent localiza tion was 40% at the superficial femoral artery. Etiology of the trauma was as follows: 67% shotgun injuries, 25% penetrating instrument injuries, 5% blunt trauma, and 3% iatrogenic. In 31.7% end-to-end anastomosis, in 45% saphenous venous interposition, in 10% ligation, in 8.3% lateral suture, and in 3.3% artificial grafting were done as a surgical management. Primary amputation was done in 1.7% of the patients; 93.3% of all the pa tients have recovered, and only 1 patient died (1.7%).