Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Crutch-induced axillary artery injury

  • Clinical Investigations
  • Published:
CardioVascular and Interventional Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To describe the spectrum of radiologic findings in crutch-induced axillary artery injury and the effects of its unique pathophysiology on diagnostic evaluation and treatment.

Methods

Three patients with axillary crutch-induced axillobrachial injury were studied angiographically and percutaneous intervention was performed in two cases.

Results

One patient required surgical bypass of a thrombosed axillary artery aneurysm. One patient responded to percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of a focal axillary artery stenosis. One patient with an axillary artery aneurysm and distal thromboembolic disease was treated by both thrombolysis and surgical thromboembolectomy and later by PTA of an axillary artery intimal disruption.

Conclusion

Chronic axillary crutch use may be associated with axillary artery stenosis, aneurysm formation, and secondary axillobrachial thromboembolic disease. Mural injury can be successfully treated by PTA and thromboembolic disease by thrombolytic therapy. Early identification of the axillary artery lesion is critical for long-term therapeutic results.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Platt H (1930) Occlusion of the axillary artery due to pressure by a crutch. Arch Surg 20:314–316

    Google Scholar 

  2. Schramek A, Hashmonai M, Abrahamson J (1974) Axillary artery thrombosis due to crutch trauma. Angiology 25(7):467–469

    Google Scholar 

  3. Abbott W, Darling R (1973) Axillary artery aneurysm secondary to crutch trauma. Am J Surgery 125(4):515–520

    Google Scholar 

  4. Danese C, Veleti D, Baron M, Wayne J, Jacobson J (1969) Recurrent embolism from an occult crutch aneurysm of the axillary artery. Surgery 66(5):860–862

    Google Scholar 

  5. McCollum C, Movor E (1986) Brachial artery injury after cardiac catheterization. J Vasc Surg 4:355–359

    Google Scholar 

  6. Dorros G, Lewin RF (1987) Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of a brachial artery occlusion after cardiac catheterization. Am J Cardiol 59(1):163

    Google Scholar 

  7. Angelini P, Bush H (1988) Brachial artery injury as a complication of cardiac catheterization. Cathet Cardiovasc Diagn 15(4):243–246

    Google Scholar 

  8. Tohen A (1973) Manual of mechanical orthopedics. Charles Thomas, Springfield, pp 273–292

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Avenue, 29425, Charleston, SC, USA

    David R. Feldman, Ivan Vujic, David McKay, Frank Callcott & Renan Uflacker

Authors
  1. David R. Feldman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ivan Vujic
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. David McKay
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Frank Callcott
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Renan Uflacker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Feldman, D.R., Vujic, I., McKay, D. et al. Crutch-induced axillary artery injury. Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol 18, 296–299 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00203679

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00203679

Key words

Search

Navigation