ABSTRACT
For ruling out major vascular injury, the negative predictive value of arterial pulse indices (API) greater than 0.9 is 99%, and the sensitivity and specificity o f an API less than 0.9 are 95% and 97%, respectively. Large, prospective studies have shown that the two most significant predictors of arterial injury are a pulse deficit or an abnormal API in the injured extremity. In the absence of a pulse deficit or API less than 0.9, arteriography is generally not indicated.
