title: [Salvage of lower limb with long-time injury of popliteal artery].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the rate of salvage of lower limb with long-time injury of popliteal artery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one patients with injury of popliteal artery were treated. The interval between injury and repair of artery ranged from 12 hrs to 48 hrs. The essences of operation were thorough debridement of the ischemic and necrotic muscles, primary suture of wound, and repair of popliteal artery on the basis of reduction and fixation of fracture.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The limb salvage were achieved in 19 cases. The saved limbs could fulfill the basic function of walk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Thorough debridement of ischemic and necrotic muscle and primary suture of wound were reasonable methods which could treat long-time injury of popliteal artery without amputation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, 175th Hospital of PLA, Zhangzhou Fujian, P. R. China 363000.
authors.forename: Zhen-qi
authors.initials: ZQ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Wen-liang
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Liang-qi
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001174:Arthrodesis; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D023821:Limb Salvage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011150:Popliteal Artery / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D013536:Suture Techniques; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis