BRACHIAL ARTERY ANEURYSM - A RARE CASE

Abstract

Introduction: Aneurysms in the upper limb, especially those in the brachial artery, are rare when compared with other peripheral arterial aneurysms. Most of these are pseudoaneurysms caused by trauma, including iatrogenic trauma, previous surgery and drug abuse. True aneurysms may be due to congenital connective tissue abnormalities, Kawasaki syndrome, Buerger’s disease and repetitive trauma, or to be idiopathic.

Case description: Male patient, 39 years old. Drug addict, in a methadone program, followed by the treatment team for the withdrawal of narcotic drugs. He went to the hospital emergency department for a right axillary abscess, after having been injected for heroin consumption, having been medicated and indicated for follow-up by his attending physician. After about a month, a pulsatile swelling was detected in the punctured site, which revealed a true aneurysmatic formation of the brachial artery, having been referred for vascular surgery consultation and submitted to surgical intervention.

Conclusions: A true aneurysm of the brachial artery was found, contrary to what would be expected, a pseudoaneurysm, given that there was a penetrating trauma, which is, therefore, an even rarer occurrence and which raises the doubt if there would be, for example, any underlying vascular or atherosclerotic inflammatory disease.
This case also reinforces the importance of cooperation between the family health unit and other multidisciplinary services, such as the treatment team for the withdrawal of narcotic drugs and the Vascular Surgery service.