Brachial artery pseudoaneurysm

Abstract

We describe a case of an elderly man who presented with an upper arm swelling that had developed following a humeral fracture 8 months previously. The swelling was painless but associated with significantly diminished motor function of his right hand and concurrent paraesthaesia. On examination, a large pulsatile mass was identified and CT angiography confirmed the presence of an 11x7 cm brachial artery pseudoaneurysm. The patient underwent surgical repair in which a fragment of the humerus was found to have punctured the brachial artery resulting in a pseudoaneurysm. The patient had an uncomplicated postoperative period and was discharged 2 days later having regained some motor function in his right hand. Copyright 2014 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.