Traumatic axillary artery pseudoaneurysm treated with intravascular balloon occlusion and percutaneous thrombin injection

Coil embolization of a giant pseudoaneurysm associated with a disrupted axillary artery: a case report

BACKGROUND

Stent-graft placement is generally used to treat pseudoaneurysm (PSA) of the axillary artery (AA) trunk to maintain the patency of peripheral vessels. Coil embolization of a PSA associated with a disrupted AA trunk has rarely been reported.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 54-year-old woman presented with swelling of her right shoulder. She had had a right proximal humeral fracture 12 years earlier. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) and subsequent angiograms revealed a giant PSA at the disrupted, distal right AA. There were collateral flows to the brachial artery from the proximal to the right AA. To preserve collateral flows to the brachial artery, selective embolization of the inflow artery that derived from the distal AA was performed with hydrogel-coated coils. The post-embolization arteriogram showed no flow into the PSA, but collateral flows to the brachial artery we preserved. The post-embolization course was uneventful. The patient regained warmth in her right arm and hand on post-embolization day 4. Repeat CECT on post-embolization day 9 confirmed blood-flow to her right radial artery.

CONCLUSIONS

While a stent-graft should be used if the AA trunk can be preserved, coil embolization should be considered for PSA if the AA trunk is disrupted but collaterals are preserved.

Differential Diagnosis of Thoracoacromial Artery Pseudoaneurysm from Shoulder Inflammatory Pseudotumor: A Case Report

Diagnosing shoulder tumors is a challenge because the joint is very complex, and a static examination can misdiagnose some tumors. However, we found that a pseudoaneurysm provides a differential diagnosis of a tumor, and to that end, we present a case that mimics shoulder infection. The patient was an 80-year-old female who had a history of coronary artery disease and end-stage renal disease under regular hemodialysis and complained of right shoulder swelling and progression. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed an abscess, inflammatory pseudotumor (IPT), and osteomyelitis of the humerus. Computed tomography (CT)-guided pigtail drainage was performed twice without significant improvement. An angiogram revealed a right shoulder pseudoaneurysm fed by the acromial branch of the thoracoacromial artery. After endovascular coiling, the patient was discharged and outpatient follow-up was arranged. If aspiration of the abscess leads to only mild improvement in shoulder swelling, further evaluation should be arranged. An angiogram examination is a good method for diagnosing and designing operations, and endovascular treatment is good for preventing injury to the muscle, tendon, nerve, or blood vessels.

Ultrasound-Guided Thrombin Injection for Postcatheterization Pseudoaneurysms and Its Extended Indications

Objective: Ultrasound-guided thrombin injection (UGTI) is an option for the treatment of postcatheterization pseudoaneurysms. This method is less invasive and less time-consuming compared with other procedures since it can be performed without general anesthesia, skin incision, or occlusion of the artery. Herein, we report on the efficacy of UGTI for postcatheterization bleeding complications.

Methods: Postcatheterization bleeding complications include postcatheterization pseudoaneurysm and failed hemostasis. In this study, failed hemostasis was defined as cases in which hemostasis could not be accomplished by 30 min of manual compression following sheath removal. A retrospective study of eight cases in which we performed UGTI for postcatheterization bleeding complications between July 2016 and June 2019 at our institution was performed to evaluate technical success and recurrence of pseudoaneurysm or rebleeding events.

Results: Among these eight cases, there were three cases of pseudoaneurysm and five cases of failed hemostasis. In all cases, technical success was achieved without any complications such as distal embolism or allergic reaction. There were no recurrences of pseudoaneurysm or rebleeding events during an average follow-up of 5.25 months.

Conclusion: We believe that UGTI is effective not only for postcatheterization pseudoaneurysms but also for failed hemostasis.

[Surgical treatment of a post-traumatic giant pseudoaneurysm of the axillary artery: a case report]

A false aneurysm of the axillary artery is an extremely rare complication of a lesion of this vessel. As few as several dozens of similar cases have been described in the available literature. We herein report a clinical case concerning surgical treatment of a 41-year-old patient who after a knife-inflicted injury had developed a 66x67 mm pseudoaneurysm of the axillary artery. The treatment consisted of several stages, thus requiring 2 hospitalizations. The first stage included an attempt to resect the aneurysm in an open fashion, followed by deployment of stent grafts in the axillary artery to exclude the aneurysm from circulation. The second stage consisted in elimination of the aneurysmal cavity, followed by decompression of the branches of the brachial plexus and the axillary vein. The patient was discharged on postoperative day 10 after the second surgical intervention.