Neuro-vascular injuries associated with limb fractures

Objective: To study the pattern of trauma cases of the extremities associated with neurovascular injury seen at Assir Central Hospital and to evaluate the results and complications in relationship to the modality of treatment. Design: A retrospective study. Settings: Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Assir Central Hospital, Abba, Saudi Arabia, Subjects Forty three patients with bone fractures associated with vascular and peripheral nerve injury seen at the Emergency Room of Assir Central Hospital from 1990 to 1999. There were 39 males and four females. Thirty five of these patients (81.4%) were Saudi nationals and the rest were non-Saudi The age range was between 75 and 65 years (average 29.6 years). Interventions: All the patients were operated on, and the procedure performed depended on the nature of the injury sustained. Results: Road traffic accidents were the main came of fractures associated with neurovascular injury. The most commonly fractured bone was humerus (17.1%) and the most commonly injured vessel was brachial artery (32.4%), The most commonly injured nerve was radial nerve (50%), There was one mortality, two cases each of below knee amputation, Volkmann's ischaemic contracture of the forearm and above elbow amputation. Conclusion: Road traffic accidents were a major cause of traumatic morbidity and mortality in Saudi Arabia.