DIAGNOSIS OF LIMBS AND NECK ARTERIAL TRAUMA USING DUPLEX ULTRASONOGRAPHY

Objective: To evaluate duplex ultrasonography for diagnosis of arteria l trauma in limbs and neck. Method: Fifty-one wounds in 47 patients, w ith indication for arteriography, were prospectively studied and group ed according to the presence (PCS group: 21 wounds. 41.2%) or absence (ACS group: 30 wounds, 58.8%) of clinical signs of arterial injury. Al l underwent duplex ultrasonography and arteriography. Results: Arterio graphy disclosed arterial injury in 21 wounds. of which 19 were visual ized by duplex ultrasonography. In the other 30 wounds neither methods disclosed any arterial injury. The sensitivity of duplex ultrasonogra phy was 90.3%, the specificity was 100% and the accuracy was 96.1%. In PCS group duplex ultrasonography showed 14 injuries (93.3%) and one f alse-negative result, and in ACS group. five injuries (83.3%) and one false-negative result in the ACS group. Conclusions: Duplex ultrasonog raphy reproduces the results of arteriography as a non-invasive diagno stic method in trauma of the limbs and neck. (C) 1998 The Internationa l Society for Cardiovascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Science Lt d. All rights reserved.