OBJECTIVE: To summarize the importance of surgical management to repair vascular injury in limbs salvage, and to analyze the influence factors in the management. METHODS: From 1993 to 2000, 42 cases of 58 vascular injuries were reviewed; there were 37 males and 5 females, aging from 12 to 70 years old. Emergency operations were performed in 38 cases and selective operations in 4 cases from 1 hour to 45 days after injury. There were 22 cases of complete rupture in 32 blood vessels, 5 cases of partial rupture in 6 blood vessels, and 15 cases of vascular defect in 20 blood vessels, with 5 cm to 10 cm defect. The operation management included end-to-end anastomosis in 22 cases, side-to-end anastomosis in 1 case, vascular repair in 5 cases and vascular grafting in 14 cases. All of the cases were followed up for 6 months to 7 years. RESULTS: In those received emergency operations, it was successful in 35 cases, with amputation in the other 3 cases; after operation, there were 5 cases of post-operative angio-crisis, 1 case of hematoma and 1 case of pseudoaneurysm. In those received selective operation, all succeeded but 1 case of post-operative angio-crisis. After the follow-up, except for 3 cases of amputation, the other limbs survived; and function of the survived limbs recovered satisfactorily after operation except poor recovery in 7 cases of replantation of the limbs. CONCLUSION: To repair vascular injury immediately, to manage angio-crisis and to remove influence factors is the key to save the injured limbs and to maintain the function of them.