Acute Upper Extremity Vein Thrombosis in Recurrent Shoulder Dislocation

Abstract

The shoulder joint is a commonly dislocated joint in the human body. Shoulder dislocations are commonly associated with fractures of greater tuberosity and neurovascular injuries and are rarely associated with venous complications like deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Ten percent of all venous thrombosis is related to upper extremity venous thrombosis (UE-VT). Severe UE-VT cases are associated with endovenous catheters. Moreover, UE-VT often occurs in specific medical conditions, including hematological malignancy, solid neoplasia, and progressive infection. UE-VT can lead to serious complications such as pulmonary embolism and postthrombotic syndrome. This article presents a case of acute superficial thrombus in the cephalic vein and DVT in the subclavian vein following recurrent shoulder dislocation, which we believe is a rare presentation.

Keywords: anticoagulation; cephalic vein thrombosis; intimal injury; shoulder dislocation; subclavian vein thrombosis; upper extremity vein thrombosis.