AXILLARY ARTERY INJURY SECONDARY TO HUMERAL NECK FRACTURE: CASE REPORT

Fractures of the proximal humerus account over 75% of all humeral fractures in patients older than the age of 40 1. After the age of 50, women have a much higher incidence of these fractures than men, due to a higher incidence of osteoporosis. If the patient is less than 50 years old, high-energy trauma is the most common etiology. However, if the patient is over the age of 50, low energy mechanisms are more common 1. Although axillary artery injury occurs frequently with dislocations of the shoulder and fractures of the clavicle, such injury is not commonly associated with fractures of the proximal humerus 2-5. We present a patient with an axillary artery injury associated with a comminuted fracture of the proximal humerus.