The treatment of major devascularizing injuries of the upper extremity

This article focuses on decision making in the surgical treatment of trauma tic devascularizing injuries of the upper extremity. Background data helpfu l in decision making include epidemiology, mortality; limb survival, and li mb function after revascularization or revision amputation. Decision making also includes factors relating to patient survival, limb survival, expecte d function, and classification schemes. Morbidity is discussed, along with strategies to reduce morbidity before, during, and after surgery.