World J Vasc Surg | Volume 4, Issue 1 | Case Report | Open Access
Christopher Yu Chow*
Department of Vascular Surgery, Ochsner Medical Center, USA
*Correspondance to: Christopher Yu Chow
Fulltext PDFBackground/Objective: Although brachial artery transection is a rare complication of an acute, simple, posterior elbow dislocation, vascular surgeons must be aware of the injury and its variable presentation and treatment options.
Methods:We report a case of an obese, middle aged female who suffered this complicated injury after falling from her bicycle at a low speed. A review of the literature for similar cases was additionally conducted to highlight key issues regarding its diagnosis, management, and prognosis.
Results:Despite an initially reassuring vascular exam, the patient developed diminished pulses the day after her initial injury. After angiographic confirmation, an open surgical repair was performed. During the surgery, the elbow repeatedly dislocated, requiring intraoperative orthopedic assistance. In all cases reported, reconstruction of the artery led to restoration of the vasculature.
Conclusion:Brachial artery transection may be present in spite of seemingly low mechanism elbow dislocations and reassuring initial physical examinations. Although a rare clinical entity, a high index of suspicion must be maintained by the surgeon when consulted to evaluate upper extremity vascular trauma.
Simple elbow dislocation; Open elbow dislocation; Posterior elbow dislocation; Brachial artery transaction; Brachial artery injury; Traumatic vascular injury
Chow CY. Brachial Artery Transection Following a Simple Open Posterior Elbow Dislocation in an Adult Female; A Case Report and Review of Literature. World J Vasc Surg. 2021; 4(1): 1029..