Endovascular repair of a ruptured axillary artery during open reduction of the shoulder dislocation with humerus fracture

Abstract

Axillary artery injury secondary to shoulder dislocation with humerus fracture is rare. Rupture of the axillary artery during open reduction is extremely rare. Here, we report about a rare case of a ruptured axillary artery during an open reduction for shoulder dislocation with humerus fracture. A 58-year-old man with left shoulder pain because of a fall after alcohol consumption was diagnosed as having left shoulder dislocation with a humerus fracture. He underwent open reduction surgery. During the procedure, bleeding was observed, and further examination through angiography revealed an ruptured axillary artery. To address this urgent situation, stent grafts were promptly deployed retrogradely from the brachial artery. The postoperative course was uneventful, except for brachial plexus palsy. In the emergent setting, endovascular repair is an efficient alternative to conventional open surgery for controlling bleeding when a ruptured axillary artery occur during open reduction for shoulder dislocation.

Keywords: endovascular repair; open reduction of the shoulder dislocation; ruptured axillary artery.