Abstract
Penetrating extremity trauma (PET) accounts for an estimated 5–15% of trauma with
vascular injury and these injuries are accountable for a significant percentage of
trauma-related deaths. Historically, vascular injuries were best treated by open repair.
While a defined selection criteria and a comprehensive algorithm have not been validated,
the advancement of endovascular techniques, embolotherapy, and stent grafting have
become viable options for the treatment of penetrating arterial extremity trauma in
select patients. Advantages endovascular repair offers include decreasing mortality
and morbidity associated with open repair, decreasing blood loss, decreasing iatrogenic
injury such as nerve injury, and lower rate of wound infection. Patients stability,
type of vascular injury, and lesion location are main factors help deciding between
endovascular and open repair. Patient selection between endovascular and open repair
should be determined by on a case-by-case situation, individual hospital guidelines,
a multidisciplinary approach, and technical expertise.
Keywords
penetrating extremity trauma - arterial trauma - vascular injury - endovascular repair