Common characteristics of functional and adverse outcomes in acute lower-extremity trauma reconstruction

Background Injury to the lower extremity is one of the most common traumatic injuries encountered in both combat and civilian situations. Improvements in sterile technique, the use of antibiotics, bony fixation, and microvascular reconstruction have shifted the management paradigm from predominantly amputation to limb salvage. We reviewed acute lower-extremity reconstruction in a single suburban trauma center and identified common characteristics of functional and adverse outcomes.