Axillary artery compression as a complication of a shoulder dislocation

Figure 1 Chest radiograph from the trauma bay is consistent with a shoulder dislocation of the glenohumeral joint. Previous reports have described axillary artery lacerations and pseudoaneurysms after anterior-inferior shoulder dislocations. An 86-year-old man with temporary upper extremity ischemia from axillary artery compression by the humeral head after an anterior-inferior glenohumeral dislocation was recently treated at our institution. This episode illustrates the value of having a high index of suspicion for arterial compromise in the context of an elderly patient presenting with this pattern of shoulder dislocation. Definitive treatment of axillary artery injuries ranges from simple shoulder reduction to open vascular graft placement. Decreasing the time to limb reperfusion reduces the risk of future disability and associated complications.