Background:

Vascular injuries are the main cause of morbidity and mortality among young patients. Delay of surgery and not having a vascular surgeon is a conditioning factor of several complications such as muscular damage, necrosis, mayor limb amputation or even death. Our main objective was to describe the frequency and complications of patients with vascular trauma first attended in other center and then transferred to a reference center.

Method:

A retrospective, observational study was performed with records of patients admitted for vascular limb trauma from March 2014 to March 2019 analyzing trauma, evolution and first attending center.

Results:

Eighty-eight patients, 88% male, 43% older than 30 years old, comorbidities in 13%, 96% of them were previously admitted in other centers, 38% with gun injury, single vessel injury in 79%, mangled extremity severity score scale < 7 in 70%, femoral artery injury in 26%, delay of transfer greater than 12 h in 65%, complications p = 0.004, fasciotomy required in 27%, mayor limb amputation 25%, mortality 1.0%.

Conclusions:

Primary care, time of evolution and initial management have an impact on rate of complications and prognosis. Initial management by a non-vascular surgeon is acceptable but not ideal.