title: Surgical management of axillosubclavian vascular injuries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Complex surgical exposures to upper extremity injuries required for conventional surgery correlate with a high morbidity and mortality. We present our results with conventional surgery following injuries of the subclavian and axillary vessels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between November 2007 and March 2012, 29 cases with subclavian-axillary vascular injury were operated. Diagnostic and treatment methods, associated organ injury, morbidity and mortality rates in these cases were respectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The causes of injuries were stab wounds in 11 cases (37.9%), gunshot wounds in 9 cases (31%), iatrogenic injuries in 5 cases (17.2%) and blunt trauma 4 cases (13.7%). Eight patients (27.5%) had isolated arterial injury while 21 patients (72.4%) had coexisting organ injury (vein, bone, soft tissue, nerve). Primary repair and usage of saphenous vein were the most common surgical methods. One patient died due to myocardial infarction. (Mortality 3.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vascular injuries of axillosubclavian are frequently associated with neurogenic, osseous and soft tissue injuries and should have early intervention. Conventional surgery remains the choice of treatment in patients with poor status and urgency.
authors.affiliation: Muhammet Akyuz, MD. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Muhammet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Akyuz
authors.affiliation: Orhan Gokalp, MD. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gokalp
authors.affiliation: Barcin Ozcem, MD.N Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Near East University, Lefkosa, Cyprus.
authors.forename: Barcin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozcem
authors.affiliation: Sedat Ozcan, MD. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, 18 Mart University Faculty of Medicine, Canakkale, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sedat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozcan
authors.affiliation: Yuksel Besir, MD. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yuksel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Besir
authors.affiliation: Ali Gurbuz, MD. Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Katip Celebi University Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gurbuz
keywords: Arterial trauma; Injury; Surgery; Upper extremity; Vascular