Transection of the brachial artery after closed posterior elbow dislocation

• Published in: Journal of vascular surgery 2005-12, Vol.42 (6), p.1230-1232
• Main Authors: Marcheix, Bertrand, Chaufour, Xavier, Ayel, Jacques, Hollington, Lucy, Mansat, Pierre, Barret, André, Bossavy, Jean-Pierre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Anastomosis, Surgical; Angiography; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation - methods; Brachial Artery - diagnostic imaging; Brachial Artery - injuries; Drug toxicity and drugs side effects treatment; Elbow Joint - injuries; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Joint Dislocations - complications; Joint Dislocations - diagnostic imaging; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neurology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Rupture; Saphenous Vein - transplantation; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Toxicity: cardiovascular system; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Vascular surgery: aorta, extremities, vena cava. Surgery of the lymphatic vessels
• ISSN: 0741-5214; 1097-6809
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2005.07.046

Although elbow dislocations are common orthopaedic lesions, vascular complications remain rare. We report the cases of three patients who presented with a rupture of the brachial artery after closed posterior dislocation, which is even more uncommon. Arteriograms were performed in all cases because of the persistent absence of pulses at the wrist after emergency reduction. In each patient, the treatment consisted of the insertion of reversed end-to-end saphenous bridges. None of them presented mid-term vascular complications (mean follow-up, 17 months). Brachial artery disruption can result from closed posterior elbow dislocation and responds well to vascular repair.