• Bourke W Tillmann, Matthew P Guttman, Avery B Nathens, Charles de Mestral, Ahmed Kayssi, and Barbara Haas.
• From the Institute of Health Policy, Management, and Evaluation (B.W.T., M.P.G., A.B.N., B.H.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine (B.W.T., B.H.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Critical Care Medicine (B.W.T., B.H.), Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Department of Surgery (M.P.G., A.B.N., C.dM., A.K., B.H.), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Sunnybrook Research Institute (A.B.N., A.K., B.H.), Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Vascular Surgery (C.dM.), Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; and Division of Vascular Surgery (A.K.), Schulich Heart Centre, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
• J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2021 Sep 1; 91 (3): 447-456.

BackgroundWhile limb salvage does not result in improved functional outcomes among patients with a mangled lower extremity, the impact of attempted limb salvage on mortality and complications is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between attempted limb salvage and in-hospital outcomes among patients with a mangled lower extremity.MethodsWe performed a retrospective cohort study of adults, 16 years or older, with a mangled lower extremity. Data were derived from the American College of Surgeons' Trauma Quality Improvement Program (2012-2017). We compared mortality, complications (severe sepsis, acute kidney injury [AKI], decubitus ulcers) and length of stay between patients managed with the intention of limb salvage (amputation beyond 24 hours or no amputation) and those who underwent early amputation (within 24 hours of presentation). Instrumental variable analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between management strategy and outcomes.ResultsWe identified 5,527 patients with a mangled lower extremity, of which 901 (16.3%) underwent early amputation. Among those managed with attempted limb salvage, 42.5% underwent amputation prior to discharge. After adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics, there was no association between initial management strategy and mortality (odds ratio, 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83-1.74 early amputation vs. attempted limb salvage). Early amputation was associated with lower odds of AKI (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.39-0.88) and a trend toward shorter length of stay (relative risk, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.52-1.14).ConclusionOver half of patients who sustain a mangled lower extremity undergo amputation during their initial hospital course. While a limb salvage strategy is associated with an elevated risk of AKI, there is no association between attempted limb preservation and mortality. These findings suggest that in patients in which there is no clear indication for early amputation, attempts at limb salvage do not come at the cost of increased mortality.Level Of EvidenceTherapeutic study, level IV.Copyright © 2021 American Association for the Surgery of Trauma.

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