Introduction: The serial measurement of serum lactate is essential for monitoring the therapeutic response of initial resuscitation and damage control in patients with vascular trauma, as well as a predictor of morbidity and mortality.Case report: We present a 25-year-old male patient who suffers trauma due to knife wound in the thorax with vascular injury, in whom a serial measurement of serum lactate, damage control and resuscitation was performed; subsequently, a vascular lesion was diagnosed, and vascular exploration of the subclavian vessels + arteriotomy was carried out due to the finding of vasospasm in the axillary artery with in situ thrombus and subclavian artery raffia.Conclusions: The serial measurement of serum lactate and its rapid clearance in the first hours of the event successfully predicts a low probability of morbidity and mortality despite the characteristics and severity of the trauma.