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Injured limb – Amputation or salvage?

Bakota Bore

General Hospital Karlovac, Department of Traumatology, Zagreb, Croatia


University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia (2)

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Despite a borderline Mangled Extremity Severity soft tissue loss with tibial nerve transsection (2,3). Rel-
Score in some cases reconstruction can be attempted ative criteria are elderly patients in shock with a man-
considering the overall health status of the patient and gled limb, massive soft tissue loss associated with bone
local clinical status, with preserved plantar sensitivity loss, Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS) ≥ 7
and satisfactory capillary perfusion. (especially with absent plantar sensation), severe ipsi-
In conclusion, management of mangled extremity lateral foot trauma, polytrauma, and patients who are
treatment should refer to evidence-based literature in not expected to tolerate reconstruction (4).
correlation with clinical evaluation of every individual However, these criteria should not be considered
patient. Scores are helpful but should not be taken as strict rules, but rather guidelines, due to many pa-
a sole indication for amputation. tient and wound-related variables(5). A patient with
Mangled extremity is a consequence of high ener- a mangled extremity that matches criteria for amputa-
gy trauma which result in combined bone and soft tis- tion can successfully have a salvaged limb with restora-
sue injury associated with severe bone and soft tissue tion of full function due to an individualized approach
loss or destruction (1).Treatment of a mangled lower to treatment and consideration of many other patient
extremity represents a major challenge. The decision- and wound variables (1).
whether to amputate or attempt reconstruction is cur-
rently based upon surgical evaluation (1). Discussion

Criteria Decision making in a clinical situation of mangled


extremity is complex (6). Due to the development of
Until now, the absolute criteria for amputation have surgical techniques and technologies, comprehensive
been non-reconstructablevascular injury, crush injury reconstructions are possible today in limb salvage pro-
with warm ischemia over 6 hours, and severe bone and cedures (7–12).

405t Suomen Ortopedia ja Traumatologia Vol. 36


Figure 1a and 1b. Running train - Foot and ankle subamputation

Figure 2. Corn Machine separator injury

Figure 3a and 3b. Explosion Injury - Hand bomb fuse

Suomen Ortopedia ja Traumatologia Vol. 36 t405


However, uncritical limb salvage attempts ex- tibial fractures were considered. Given the large num-
pose patients to increased morbidity and mortal- ber of different scoring systems, a prospective, ob-
ity, prolonged and costly treatment and often result servational, multicenter evaluation of patients with
in dysfunctional extremity and disappointment (4). Gustillo IIIB and IIIC open tibia fractures (Lower Ex-
Although in many cases based solely on clinical exam- tremity Assessment Project – LEAP study) was per-
ination the decision to amputate or attempt salvage is formed (16). However, the results of this study failed
clear, in borderline cases the decision requires the uti- to validate clinical utility of any scoring system in pre-
lization of different tools, such as scoring systems, that dicting the need for amputation. On the other hand,
may help differentiate salvageable from non-salvage- it demonstrated the important role of psycho-social
able extremities (1). issues in long-term outcomes. Furthermore, an initial
There is a variety of different scoring systems de- absence of plantar sensation was not a reliable indica-
signed to aid clinical decision-making, such as the tor of the need for amputation as 55% of patients with
MESS, the Limb Salvage Index (LSI), the Predictive no plantar sensation initially reported plantar sensa-
Salvage Index (PSI), the Nerve Injury, Ischemia, Soft- tion at 24 months. A repeat of the LEAP study con-
Tissue Injury, Skeletal Injury, Shock, and Age (NISS- firmed these previous results, emphasizing the inabili-
SA) Score, the Hannover Fracture Scale-97 (HFS- ty of scoring systems to accurately predict the need for
97) and many others(4,13–17). The purpose of these amputation, although low scores may predict salvage
scores is to allow accurate prediction of either the need potential (18,19).
for amputation or the possibility of salvage. Ideally, a Furthermore, there is also not enough evidence
trauma limb-salvage score should have a perfect ac- in the literature that supports the necessity of ur-
curacy with a sensitivity of 100% (all amputated gent temporary vascular shunting followed by ortho-
limbs with trauma limb-salvage scores at or above the pedic stabilization in combined orthopedic and vas-
threshold) and specificity of 100% (all salvaged limbs cular foot and ankle injuries with borderline MESS
with scores below the threshold). Several clinical trials scores (20). The sequence of procedures and patient
were conducted in order to determine the exact cut- care should be adjusted to the specific needs of ev-
off point for these scores that could be used in deci- ery patient in order to minimize the rate of amputa-
sion making (1). Johansen et al. reported that a MESS tion. Early soft tissue coverage of a mangled foot and
score greater or equal to 7 predicted amputation with ankle with Vacuum Asisted Closure (VAC) combined
100% accuracy (4). Since delayed amputation in that with silver hydrofiber dressings is very convenient and
study resulted in over 20% mortality from sepsis as results in fewer complications, earlier mobilization
compared to no mortality in primary amputation (4), and return to work. VAC is also an excellent bridg-
the importance of accurate decision making is obvi- ing solution in situations where due to the absence of
ously of paramount importance. MESS, NISSSA, and specialized surgical teams (late at night surgery, local
HFS-97 scores are greatly influenced by the results of community hospital, etc.) definite treatment (21,22)
initial neurological examination, with the assumption cannot be immediately performed. Delaying soft-tis-
that an acute sensory debilitation correlates with de- sue reconstruction beyond 7 days has been associat-
creased limb-salvage potential and that the initial ex- ed with increased flap complications and an increased
amination demonstrates the final deficiency (1). risk of infection (23,24). Gopal et al. found a deep
Still, ischemia, contusion, stretch, or compression infection rate of 6% for fractures covered within 72 h,
can cause transitory neurological deficit. When the and an infection rate of 29% for fractures covered af-
LSI is used, the neurological impairment is scored on ter 72 hours. The authors concluded that provided an
the basis of anatomical nerve findings. Howe et al. re- adequate debridement has been performed, immedi-
ported a sensitivity of 78% and a specificity of 100% ate internal fixation and healthy soft tissue cover with
for the PSI. On the other hand, Bosse et al. found the a muscle flap is safe (25). However, early aggressive
sensitivity and specificity of the PSI for patients with fracture fixation and definitive soft-tissue reconstruc-
an ischemic limb injury were 56% and 79% when tion may be favorable for isolated extremity fractures
immediate amputations were included in the analy- but may not be the safest option for the majority of
sis and 40% and 79% when immediate amputations patients with complex extremity fractures, many of
were excluded. whom have severe additional injuries (26).
Performance was not improved when only open Bone and joint infections represent an important

405t Suomen Ortopedia ja Traumatologia Vol. 36


problem which consists of three components: the ex- amputation should not be considered as a treatment
tent of tissue involvement, the microorganism and failure, but rather as a means of meeting the goal of
the host. Management is based on radical debride- treatment (37). As Hansen pointed out, we should not
ment, skeletal stabilization, microbial-specific antibi- let the heroism triumph over reason (38).
otics, soft tissue coverage, and reconstruction of bone
defects. Direct blunt trauma or open wounds of the Conclusion
distal tibia, the ankle joint and the foot often lead to
tissue loss and subsequent bacterial colonization. Re- When treating mangled extremity, it is necessary to
sistant microorganisms may further complicate the include all other patient and wound variables (1) in
situation, meaning that systemically compromised pa- addition to scoring systems in order to allow improved
tients are in a less favorable position (27–29). treatment outcomes using an individualized approach
Necrotizing fasciitis is a special problem which to patients with mangled extremities. Consequently,
represents a rapidly progressive infection with necrosis there is an obvious need for comprehensive criteria
of the fascia and surrounding tissues and has a mor- proposal of mangled extremity treatment for border-
tality rate up to 76% (30). Important clinical find- line cases (1) that will take into account not only scor-
ings are pain, hyperpyrexia, chills, cellulitis, edema, ing systems, but also important patient and wound
warmth, induration, fluctuance, crepitus, skin necro- characteristics (39).
sis and bullae (31). Immediate aggressive surgical de-
bridement (skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscle debride- References
ment, fasciotomy) and administration of high doses of #BLPUB# ,PQMKBS. +VSKFWJD; 4UBSFTJOJD. $WKFULP* 
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(32,33). Finally, amputations and more extensive am- TJPO
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Suomen Ortopedia ja Traumatologia Vol. 36 t405


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