title: Surgical treatment of infected arterial injuries of the major limb.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze retrospectively the surgical treatment of 21 cases of infected arterial injuries of the major limb hospitalized from 1989 to 2003 in our department.
  
  
  METHODS
  After a radical debridement and drainage, an autologous vessel bypass reconstruction, simple vessel ligation or amputation were carried out respectively according to each patient's condition. In order to make a better milieu for the grafts, local musculo-cutaneous flaps were translocated to cover the wounds in 9 cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1 case (4.8%) died during the treatment. 5 cases (5/21, 23.8%) underwent amputations. Blood supply reconstruction was successful in 15 cases (15/21, 71.4%). 93.3% (14/15) of the cases were successful in getting an unobstructed vessel at early stage. Thrombosis occurred in 1 case (1/15, 6.7%) and a sound result was obtained after a second operation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radical debridement combined with bypass vessel reconstruction with autologous vein and with musculo-cutaneous flap translocation is an effective treatment for infective limb vascular injuries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedic and Traumatic Surgery, Research Institute for Field Surgery & Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400042, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Shan
authors.initials: QS
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Ai-Min Du Quan-Yin
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiao-Jun
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong-Zhen
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Quan-Yin
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: DU