Brachial Plexus Injury Following Axillary Artery Puncture

Abstract
Percutaneous puncture of the axillary artery has proved a useful approach for angiographic examination of both proximal and distal portions of the aorta and its branches (1–3). Significant injury to the brachial plexus was not encountered until recently when Staal and his co-workers (4) reported two cases following axillary angiography. Two additional cases of similar plexus deficits following axillary angiography are presented below to suggest strongly immediate surgical exploration of the axilla should evidence of significant brachial plexus injury appear after axillary artery puncture. The necessity for prompt surgical intervention derives from the inverse correlation between duration of nervous deficit and probability of return of function. Case I: A 78-year-old white woman was admitted on Jan. 25, 1966, with a one-year history of episodic burning pain in all of the left toes. The pain was accompanied by their reddening, and it was worse at night or following exercise. A sensation of coldness and numb...