What would happen if a femoral artery was severed but not surgically repaired?

Question

What would happen if a femoral artery was completely severed and the bleeding was controlled with a hemostatic like quickclot, but nothing was done repair the artery. Would the affected leg become necrotic or would the it get enough blood by some other means?

I'm asking because I wonder what would happen to this pig if they just sewed it up after cleaning up the hemostatic. Warning VERY GRAPHIC: http://youtube.com/watch?v=3X03QmnP-hI&feature=related

Answer 1

You're asking a lot of Quickclot, but assuming it holds, the situation is a bit dicey. There are collaterals that communicate with the distal femoral artery, such as the glutica superior and glutica inferior branches of the hypogastric, and  circumflex femoris lateralis and circumflex femoris medialis; the obturator branch of the hypogastric with the medial circumflex of the profunda femoris, and a few others. If the femoral artery is severed below the take-off of the profunda femoris, collateral circulation should suffice. But if not, the leg might be in jeopardy if the collateral arteries do not enlarge over time. Young persons have better odds than us old folk.

Answer 2

The body itself would heal the artery, assuming the blood clot was not disturbed.  However, this would take weeks, and the artery itself would heal into scar tissue, making it weaker, as well as increasing the pressure due to lower volume.  A second haemorrhage at a later date would be likely.

Answer 3

You bleed to death.  There is a chance that the artery could tamponade (the surrounding hematoma could plug the hole), but the pressures in the femoral artery are high enough that it's unlikely.  If you poke a hole in the femoral artery during surgery, you might have to clean blood off the ceiling tiles.

A hole in an artery is a surgical emergency in humans.