Popliteal and shank arterial injury.

Arterial injuries below the adductor hiatus in the lower extremity result in amputation more often than do injuries in any other site. The major deterrents to limb salvage are delay in diagnosis and revascularization and extensive adjacent bone and soft-tissue trauma. Rapid diagnosis and repair are needed for all popliteal artery injuries and for infrapopliteal injuries that compromise distal flow. The optimal management of asymptomatic injuries of single shank arteries with normal flow in uninjured parallel vessels is not defined.