The 5 hard signs of vascular injury are active pulsatile bleeding, rapidly expanding or pulsatile hematoma, palpable thrill or audible bruit, absent or greatly diminished distal pulses and overt distal ischemia which is also known as the 6 "P"s.
The active pulsatile bleeding with a vascular injury is blood that spurts forcefully from a wound, which indicates that you have a high pressure arterial injury.
A rapid expanding or pulsatile hematoma, is a large, growing collection of blood under your skin that often pulses with your heartbeat.
The palpable thrill or audible bruit with a vascular injury is a vibratory sensation "thrill" that is felt by hand or even a humming sound "bruit" that is heard with a stethoscope, which indicates a turbulent flow like an arteriovenous fistula.
Absent or greatly diminished distal pulses are a significant deficit or absence of pulses in your limb or the area below the suspected injury, when compared to the side that is uninjured.
And over distal ischemia or the 6 "P"s refers to the severe signs of poor blood flow to the limb, which is most commonly remembered by the 6 P's.
The 6 Ps are Pain, Pallor, "Paleness", Paresthesia numbness/tingling, Paralysis, Pulselessness and Poikilothermia, which is coolness to the touch.
People experiencing any of these signs of a vascular injury, require immediate surgical treatment for stabilization or transfer to an operating room as they have a very high likelihood of significant, sight or life threatening vascular damage.
Vascular injuries are injuries that cause damage to arteries or veins, which are often caused by blunt force (crushing, stretching) or penetrating trauma (gunshot, stabbing), which can cause life-threatening bleeding (hemorrhage) or blood clots (thrombosis).
These vascular injuries require immediate medical evaluation to restore blood flow, as prolonged lack of circulation (ischemia) can lead to limb loss or organ damage.
Types of vascular injuries include.
Blunt Injury, which is when the blood vessels are stretched, twisted or crushed and is often caused by bone fractures, dislocations or blunt trauma.
Penetrating injury, which is when the blood vessels are cut, torn or punctured by objects like knives or bullets.
And vessel spasm, which is when trauma causes the artery to narrow and reduces blood flow significantly.