Search

Hypothenar hammer syndrome (HHS) is a rare condition of distal ulnar artery injury and thrombosis secondary to repetitive blunt trauma to the hypothenar area. We present a case of HHS for which point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) was used as the initial means of imaging, prompting management and disposition without further imaging studies ordered in the emergency department (ED). This case demonstrates the utility of POCUS to aid the Emergency Physician in the diagnosis and management of patients with extremity vascular issues in the ED, and details a rarely seen clinical entity in the ED.

Objective: This study evaluated the correlation between an upper limb vascular calcification (Vc) score (VcS) and late all-cause mortality in diabetic hemodialysis patients with distal upper limb arteries medial wall sclerosis (Mönckeberg disease)., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed Vc in bilateral upper limb plain radiographs and in duplex ultrasound images performed before radial-cephalic fistula (RCF) creation in diabetic hemodialysis patients. Only medial linear calcifications outlining the vessel wall were considered positive on X-ray images, whereas for ultrasound reviews, only continuous highly echogenic plaques producing bright white echos with shadowing were considered to be medial calcification. A VcS was then applied in each patient. Every half of each of the three main arterial conduits (brachial, radial, and ulnar arteries) in each arm was counted as 1 if it contained ≥ 6 cm of linear calcification, whereas absence of calcification or minimum calcification (length <6 cm) was counted as 0. Long-term all-cause mortality was compared between patients with a low or moderate VcS <8 (group I), patients with a high VcS ≥ 8 (group II), and patients with VcS = 0 (control group). Kaplan-Meier statistics were used for comparisons among the groups., Results: Nineteen patients had a VcS <8, 21 had VcS ≥ 8, and 43 patients had VcS = 0. The study patients had a mean age of 68 ± 10 years (range, 42-83 years; P = .23). Before early conversion to a RCF, dialysis therapy in 59 (71.1%) had already been initiated through central venous catheters (CVCs). The mean follow-up for groups I, II, and controls was 41.4 ± 41.2 months (range, 4-144 months), 34.15 ± 31.3 months (range, 1-108 months), and 66.7 ± 32.5 months (range, 12-126 months), respectively (P = .0009). Forty-seven patients died during the follow-up period (12 in group II and 24 in the controls; P = .88). Survival rates at 12, 24, 36, and 48 months were 78.3%, 65.7%, 54.8%, and 48.1% for group I; 75.2%, 58.8%, 49.3%, and 42% for group II; and 97.7%, 93.1%, 76.8%, and 71.8% for the control group, respectively (P = .013 for all groups; P = .044 for group II vs controls). Patients with (subgroups) or without CVCs at baseline had similar late mortality rates. Patients with CVCs/Vc had lower survival rates than those with CVCs/no Vc at 1 year (73.3% vs 96.5%) and at 3 years (47.7% vs 75.8%; P = .038). CVCs were related to increased risk of death only in subgroup II patients compared with the subcontrol group patients (75.4% vs 37.9% at 5 years, respectively; P = .034)., Conclusions: Diabetic hemodialysis patients exposed to high levels of upper extremity arterial medial VcSs upon receiving RCFs have an increased long-term mortality risk compared with diabetic hemodialysis patients with no Vc and receiving the same access. Patients with CVCs/Vc had the lowest survival rates., (Copyright © 2015 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

During surgery for elbow fracture, wires and screws crossing the elbow from posterior to anterior place the brachial and ulnar arteries at risk for inadvertent penetration. The authors' goal was to define the sagittal proximity of the brachial and ulnar arteries to the proximal ulna throughout an arc of elbow motion using dynamic fluoroscopy. The brachial artery was injected with barium in 10 fresh-frozen cadaveric elbows. Sagittal fluoroscopic images were obtained at elbow flexion angles of 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, and 120°. Two measurements were obtained at each flexion angle: (1) the distance between the coronoid tip and the brachial artery and (2) the distance between the coronoid base and the ulnar artery. One-way analysis of variance was used to compare mean distances for each flexion angle within each measurement group. A coronal image identified the mediolateral course of the brachial artery. The distance from the coronoid tip to the brachial artery significantly increased with increasing flexion from 0° to 60° (P<.001). The distance from the ulnar artery to the coronoid base significantly increased with increasing flexion from 0° to 120° (P<.002). The brachial artery traversed lateral to the coronoid in 9 of 10 specimens. The brachial and ulnar arteries are located further from the coronoid with increasing elbow flexion to at least 60°, and the brachial artery is typically located lateral to the coronoid in the coronal plane. These measurements can be used as surgical guides to reduce the risk of arterial injury during olecranon fracture surgery., (Copyright 2015, SLACK Incorporated.)

Background: Morphometric data on Caucasian radial and ulnar arteries are limited, with no data on flow interdependence in the forearm arterial circuit., Methods: A total of 250 upper extremities in 125 patients were evaluated. Ultrasonography was performed and radial and ulnar artery lumen diameters were measured. Ulnar artery (UA) was compressed at the level of the wrist, and flow parameters in radial artery (RA) were recorded using duplex Doppler ultrasound., Results: Radial and ulnar artery diameters were comparable at the level of the distal forearm (RA = 2.03 ± 0.28 mm, UA = 2.07 ± 0.27 mm; P=.14). There was no significant difference in radial or ulnar artery diameter between the dominant upper extremity and the non-dominant upper extremity. Upon compression of the ulnar artery, radial artery velocity-time integral (VTI) increased from 8.4 ± 3.8 cm to 12.8 ± 5.5 cm, which was statistically significant (P<.001). There was a significant inverse correlation between radial artery diameter and the magnitude of increase in radial VTI observed with UA compression (r² = 0.106; P<.001)., Conclusion: RA diameter at the level of the distal forearm is comparable to UA. RA-VTI and likely flow significantly increase by compression of the UA. The smaller the radial artery, the larger the increase in radial artery flow with ulnar compression.

We saw a 23-year-old women with orthostasis, visual disturbances and pale discoloration of fingers on the left hand. Arterial pulsations were absent on both carotid, radial and ulnar arteries. Inflammatory parameters were raised and on funduscopy there was retinal ischemia. On FDG-PET/CT the diagnosis of Takayasu arteritis was made.

Investigations of human myogenic responses typically use maneuvers that evoke robust changes in transmural pressure. Although this strategy has demonstrated peripheral myogenic responsiveness in the limbs, particularly in glabrous skin of the hand or foot, it has not considered the potential influence of the myogenic mechanism in beat-to-beat blood flow (BF) control during unprovoked rest. In the present study, we examined the interactions of spontaneous beat-to-beat mean arterial pressure (MAP; Finapres) with BF (Doppler ultrasound) supplying the forearm (brachial artery), lower leg (popliteal artery), and hand (ulnar artery) during 10 min of supine rest in healthy young men. Cross-correlation analyses revealed a negative association between MAP and BF, which was more prominent in the forearm than lower leg. The strongest correlation resulted when a -2-heart beat offset of MAP was applied (R=-0.53±0.04 in the forearm and -0.23±0.05 in the leg, P<0.05), suggesting an ∼2-s delay from instances of high/low MAP to low/high BF. Negatively associated episodes (high MAP/low BF and low MAP/high BF) outnumbered positively associated data (P<0.05). BF during low MAP values was greater than the steady-state average BF and vice versa. Wrist and ankle occlusion blunted the strength of correlations, homogenized the incidence of MAP and BF pairings, and reduced the magnitude of deviation from steady-state values. In contrast, these relationships were matched or accentuated for hand BF. Overall, these results suggest that myogenic responses are present and occur rapidly in human limbs during rest, overwhelm perfusion pressure gradient influences, and are primarily mediated by the distal limb circulation., (Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.)

Background: A proven advantage of radial over femoral arterial access has led to an increase in the number of interventions performed via radial artery access in patients with acute coronary syndromes. Both assessment of the pulse volume and the Allen's test are subjective and subject to investigator bias. An ultrasound examination of the forearm arteries provides important information about the anatomy of the forearm vessels, and indirectly also about the efficiency of collateral blood supply to the hand. It also enables determination of the relevant vessel diameter before the planned intervention, and may be used to assess local complications., Aim: To assess the morphology of forearm blood vessels and measure the diameter of both radial and ulnar arteries at the cannulation site using ultrasound imaging. We also aimed to identify potential vascular anomalies and local complications associated with radial artery puncture., Methods: The study included 109 patients with cardiologic indications for coronary angiography or coronary angioplasty. An ultrasound evaluation of forearm arteries was performed prior to the intervention, and the vascular anatomy was later verified by angiography during the procedure. Ultrasound measurements of the vessel diameter were also performed and local complications of the cannulation were assessed. Measurements were performed immediately after the procedure and at 30 days and 12 months., Results: Fifty-nine right and 50 left forearm arteries were evaluated. Women were 29% of the study population. The mean patient age was 59.2 ± 7.9 years. The mean diameter of the right radial artery was 2.17 ± 0.54 mm, and the mean diameter of the left radial artery was 2.25 ± 0.43 mm. The measurements revealed gender-related differences in forearm artery diameter (p = 0.003). Vascular anomalies of the radial artery were identified by ultrasound examination in 10% of subjects. A significant dilatation of the cannulated blood vessel was observed which lasted up to 12 months. An occlusion of the cannulated artery was demonstrated in 6.4% of patients., Conclusions: Ultrasound imaging is a reliable method to evaluate the diameter of forearm arteries and track their course in patients undergoing invasive cardiovascular procedures via radial artery access. The diameter of the radial artery by ultrasound evaluation is larger compared to that of the ulnar artery. The diameter of forearm arteries in women is smaller compared to men. A dilatation of the radial artery which may last up to 12 months develops following its percutaneous cannulation. Ultrasound imaging allows detection and monitoring of local complications such as radial artery occlusion. An unfavourable ratio of blood vessel diameter to the size of the used introducer sheath is a predictor of radial artery occlusion. Ultrasound imaging enables reliable evaluation of vascular anomalies involving the radial artery, especially within the distal forearm.

In this paper we studied in detail features of the blood supply to the tissues of the forearm of the pools ulnar and radial arteries, the technique of line access and the formation of skin-fascial ulnar flap by using a layered dissection with contrast vessels on non fixed human cadavers. Blood supply of the forearm carried out by branches radial and ulnar arteries, which allows to create in this area radial flap and ulnar flap loo. The size of the skin-fascial ulnar flap can reach 3-10 cm in length, 2-6 cm in width, the length of vessel pedicle of the transplant can reach 12 cm. The research studied the characteristics of blood supply of the forearm and the comparative evaluation of tissue perfusion of the radial and ulnar arteries; proved localization forming ulnar flap. Studies have shown that revascularised skin-fascial ulnar flap may be can be an alternative donor material for elimination of soft tissue defects with less traumatization donor area and reduce upper limb function compared with radial flap.

Aims and Objectives: Transradial interventions are gaining popularity in recent years. However the radial artery being small, there is a limitation in using interventional devices through this route. We have measured radial and ulnar arteries size in adult patients at our tertiary care cardiology center in southern Rajasthan., Method: Adult patients >30 years, who came for Echocardiography at a tertiary care center were included. Radial and ulnar arteries inner diameters were measured 2-3 cm above the Styloid process in both forearms with the Ultrasonography. Patient information about weight, height, diabetes and hypertension were collected. Body mass index and Body surface area were calculated., Results: We studied 204 patients, which includes 60.8% males. Mean diameter was 2.325 ± 0.4 mm mm for radial arteries and 2.358 ± 0.39 mm for ulnar arteries (p = 0.24). Hypertensive and male patients had larger mean radial artery diameter than non hypertensive (2.383 mm v/s 2.272 mm, p = 0.006) and female patients (2.37 mm v/s 2.26 mm, p = 0.008) respectively. Diabetic patients (2.305 mm) had nonsignificantly smaller radial arteries diameters than nondiabetics (2.329 mm, p = 0.6). We calculated correlations between radial arteries diameters and Body surface area, Body mass index, height and weight of patients, none of these correlations were statistically significant (r = 0.30, r = 0.28, r = 0.07, r = 0.031 respectively)., Conclusion: Mean radial artery diameter (2.325 ± 0.4 mm) in the study was slightly smaller than ulnar artery (2.358 ± 0.39 mm). Males and hypertensives had a larger mean radial artery diameter than females and non hypertensives. Radial artery inner diameter measurement by Ultrasonography may be more helpful than Allen's test for ideal selection of cases., (Copyright © 2014 Cardiological Society of India. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: To evaluate blood flow of hand arteries (using Doppler ultrasonography) and sympathetic skin response (SSR) in patients with hemiparesis., Methods: Fifty-six stroke patients (30 M, 26 F) with unilateral hemiparesis (age 53.5 ± 10.8 years, mean disease duration 12.0 ± 19.1 months) were included. The patients' arm and hand motor functions were assessed according to Brunnstrom's stages. SSR was evaluated bilaterally from median nerves at the wrist level. Radial and ulnar artery blood flow was measured at the wrist in the neutral position., Results: Both radial and ulnar artery volume flow and end diastolic velocity, and radial artery diameter were smaller on the paretic side (all p < 0.0125). Radial artery resistance and pulsatility index were greater on the paretic side (both p < 0.0125). SSR amplitude was lower on the paretic side of patients with right-sided hemiparesis patients (p = 0.009). Hand Brunnstrom's stage was negatively correlated with nonparetic-paretic difference in radial artery volume flow and SSR amplitudes (all p < 0.025)., Conclusions: Hand blood flow was lower on the paretic side and was accompanied by a similar decrease in SSR amplitudes in patients with right-sided hemiparesis., (Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Introduction: Hypothenar hammer syndrome is a rare cause of upper extremity digital ischemia or Raynaud phenomenon, a diagnosis which should be considered in cases of iterative palmar trauma. Its treatment can be medical or surgical and should not suffer any delay. The best options remain controversial., Methods: A 65-year-old patient presented with an ischemia of the last three fingers of the left hand. A partially thrombosed aneurysm of the left ulnar artery was diagnosed at imaging. After a partially effective medical treatment, a surgical treatment was performed with resection of the aneurysm and a vascular reconstruction with an autologous vein graft. The postoperative course was uneventful with disappearance of the symptoms and revascularization of the hypothenar area., Conclusion: Appropriate treatment for hypothenar hammer syndrome is controversial but whould always begin with medical care. The decision to perform surgery should be based on evidence of ulnar artery lesions and the associated symptoms., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

We measured the pulsatility indices in the inferior collateral and posterior recurrent ulnar arteries, which supply the ulnar nerve at the elbow, in 38 conscious adults. Compared with a straight 30° abducted arm, elbow flexion to 120° reduced the mean (SD) pulsatility index in the inferior artery and increased the pulsatility index in the posterior artery: from 3.36 (0.86) to 3.04 (0.94), p = 0.001, and from 3.14 (0.81) to 3.64 (1.05), p < 0.0005, respectively. The mean (95% CI) pulsatility index in the inferior artery was unaffected by shoulder abduction to 120°, but it was decreased in the posterior artery in men, from 3.06 (2.76-3.36) to 2.64 (2.34-2.95), but not women, from 3.22 (2.94-3.50) to 3.25 (2.97-3.53), p = 0.01 for men vs women. Researchers should measure arterial pulsatility indices under general anaesthesia and associate them with measures of nerve function., (© 2014 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Compartment syndrome of the left hand from a late diagnosed post-traumatic ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm. We report the case of 27 years old boy with a tipping and cutting wound on his left wrist, generating an ulnar artery pseudoaneurysm, that was late diagnosed, and therefore complicated by a compartment syndrome in the wrist. Immediately after the trauma the subject went to the emergency room where the severity of the injury was undestimated; in fact, it was sutured and medicated, without further investigation. When he went to the same hospital for the second time, symptoms (pulsatile mass, redness and irritation of the skin) were interpreted as an infectious process and treated in an incongruous way. Then, when he went to another hospital in which imaging studies (ultrasound) were performed, the pseudo- aneurysm of the ulnar artery was diagnosed and surgically treated. The delay in diagnosis led to a compartment syndrome that is still appreciable as a sensory-motor deficit of the hand, especially of the fourth and fifth finger. This pseudo- aneurysm complication and its debilitating outcomes are known in literature, so the diagnostic delay makes the sanitary staff guilty of the suffered damage.

Objectives: We evaluated the safety and feasibility of transulnar approach when ipsilateral radial access was not available., Methods and Results: From March 2011 until February 2013, 476 consecutive patients who underwent transulnar catheterization were included in a single center prospective registry of effectiveness and safety. Diagnostic coronary angiography accounted for 42% of cases, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for 38%, and 17% underwent carotid artery stenting. A subgroup analysis was done in 240 patients with documented ipsilateral radial artery occlusion (RAO). Procedural success was 97% with a crossover rate of 3% to transfemoral access. Hand ischemia was not observed in any patient on day 1 after procedure and on 1 month follow-up. None of the patients showed ulnar nerve injury. Two patients developed major forearm hematoma that resolved without clinical consequences. Minor access site hematoma occurred in 8%. Severe clinical spasm occurred in two patients. Asymptomatic ulnar artery occlusion at 1 month follow-up was detected in 3.1%. There was no difference between patients with or without RAO in terms of procedural success and any vascular complication., Conclusion: Transulnar approach is safe and feasible alternative wrist access when performed by experienced radial operators, providing high success rate and low incidence of vascular complications., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: The transradial approach to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has recently gained popularity among interventionalists. However, radial artery occlusion (RAO) limits the ability for repeat catheterization. In current practice, transulnar catheterization is thought to be a contraindication in patients with ipsilateral RAO., Methods: Seventeen consecutive patients undergoing transulnar catheterization and PCI were reviewed. Each of the patients had clinical follow-up post-procedure at days 1, 7, and 30., Results: We successfully performed 17 ulnar catheterizations in patients with ipsilateral RAO. All patents were subsequently found to have adequate collaterals from the anterior interosseous branch. One patient developed ulnar artery spasm and another patient developed a forearm hematoma. Overall, no patient suffered any ulnar nerve injury. The ulnar artery was patent both by palpation and by the presence of an adequate plethysmographic signal during follow-up at days 1, 7, and 30. No patients developed with any signs or symptoms of hand ischemia during follow-up., Conclusion: In patients with RAO, ipsilateral transulnar catheterization may not be an absolute contraindication. Our results suggest that extensive collaterals from the anterior interosseous artery may be the reason for protection against hand ischemia in the setting of RAO., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Marfan syndrome is a relatively common connective tissue disorder that causes skin, ocular, skeletal, and cardiovascular abnormalities. High morbidity and mortality occur with aortic aneurysm and dissection. Other large-artery aneurysms, including carotid, subclavian, and iliac artery aneurysms, have also been associated with Marfan syndrome. It is not clear whether small- to medium-sized artery aneurysms are associated with Marfan syndrome. This report describes 4 patients with Marfan syndrome who have associated small- to medium-sized artery aneurysms with several complications. Additional investigations are needed to determine whether Marfan syndrome can cause small- to medium-sized artery aneurysms and how patients with these aneurysms should be treated., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Ulnar artery thrombosis and hypothenar hammer syndrome are rare vascular complications that could potentially occur with repeated blows or trauma to the hand. Although initially reported as an occupational hazard among laborers and craftsmen, it has been observed more recently among recreationalists and athletes. Until now, it has never been reported as a complication in ice hockey players. In this case report, a 26-year-old Canadian professional ice hockey player presented with acute dominant right hand paleness, coolness, and pain with hand use. The patient used a wooden hockey stick with a large knob of tape at the end of the handle, which he regularly gripped in the palm of his right hand to help with face-offs and general stick-handling. Sonographic evaluation demonstrated no arterial flow in the distal right ulnar artery distribution, and ulnar artery occlusion with no aneurysmal degeneration was confirmed by magnetic resonance angiogram. Intraarterial thrombolytic therapy was initiated, and subsequent serial angiograms demonstrated significant improvement in distal ulnar artery flow as well as recanalization of right hand deep palmar arch and digital arteries. The patient's symptoms resolved, and he was maintained on therapeutic anticoagulation for 3 months prior to returning to playing ice hockey professionally, but with a padded glove and no tape knob at the handle tip. This case highlights a unique presentation of hockey stick-handling causing ulnar artery thrombosis that was likely from repeated palmar hypothenar trauma. Appropriate diagnostic imaging, early intraarterial thrombolysis, and postoperative surveillance and follow-up were crucial for the successful outcome in this patient., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Hypothenar hammer syndrome (HHS) is characterized by digital ischemia after repetitive traumatic injury to the ulnar artery. Some hypothesize that susceptible patients have an intrinsic vasculopathy such as fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD). To investigate this hypothesis, we reviewed our institutional experience with this syndrome over 25 years. Clinical records were reviewed from all patients who underwent surgical treatment for HHS (1987 to 2011), and histologic features of excised ulnar arteries were characterized. A total of 67 patients (mean age 45 y; range, 21 to 75 y; 65 men) were treated for unilateral or bilateral disease. Common symptoms included digital pain (96% of cases), cold intolerance (79%), cyanosis (70%), numbness (54%), tingling (51%), and ulceration (40%). Angiography showed ulnar artery occlusion (89%), irregularity (56%), tortuosity (46%), and digital emboli (89%). Common pathologic features (from 75 specimens) included: luminal thrombosis (87%); intimal thickening (60%) and fibrosis (57%); internal elastic membrane disruption (95%); medial fibrosis (96%), hypertrophy (43%), neovascularization (49%), dilatation (29%), and disruption (25%); and adventitial neovascularization (53%). Specific features of dysplasia were present in 10 cases (15%), including smooth muscle disorganization and additional smooth muscle bundles outside the external elastic membrane, but typical FMD was not identified. Histologic features in HHS most often represent secondary changes consistent with repetitive trauma. Dysplastic features can be found in occasional cases, but FMD does not appear to contribute to HHS in most patients. Angiography should be interpreted with caution in superficial locations, as a string-of-beads appearance may simply reflect a posttraumatic corkscrew deformity of the ulnar artery.

Aims: The radial approach is safer than the femoral for percutaneous coronary procedures. However its feasibility is lower, mainly for technical issues, often related to failure to puncture or cannulate the radial artery. The ulnar approach is a valid alternative to radial. We aimed to test the incidence, feasibility and safety of a direct homolateral ulnar approach in case of failed radial sheath insertion., Methods and Results: Five operators collected their 1-year activity (diagnostic and interventional) with focus on entry site. Entry site choice was left to operators' discretion. In case of failed radial sheath insertion, an attempt to cannulate the homolateral ulnar artery was mandated, if ulnar pulse was present. All patients in whom this attempt was performed were followed until discharge. Out of 2403 procedures (1271 interventions), the final successful entry site was radial in 66.5%, femoral in 31.0%, ulnar in 2.1% and brachial in 0.4%. Radial failure occurred in 117 patients (6.9%). In 75 patients, the radial failure was not due to sheath insertion (which was successful), but to lack of catheter support or to tortuosity of the subclavian/brachial arteries. In the remaining 42 (35.9% of all radial failures), a homolateral ulnar approach was attempted. A successful cannulation of the ulnar artery occurred in 36 patients (85.7%) with further performance of the complete procedure. Concerning local complications, 1 radial pseudo-aneurysm (treated with additional compression) occurred, while no cases of early hand ischemia were reported., Conclusions: In this multicenter registry, in case of failed radial sheath insertion, switching directly to the homolateral ulnar artery for percutaneous coronary procedures is feasible and it appears to be safe, without cases of symptomatic hand ischemia., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess feasibility and utility of imaging of both arms using ultrasound to facilitate transradial (TR) and transulnar (TU) coronary angiograms (CA) and intervention., Background: Despite well recognized advantages, transradial approach (TRA) has challenges that reduce procedural success including small arterial size, anatomical variations, and anomalies of radial artery (RA). The utility of routine pre-procedural ultrasound of the arm arteries (PPUAA) in facilitating TRA has not been previously studied., Methods: To determine the role of PPUAA, we performed a single center registry of consecutive patients undergoing diagnostic and interventional procedures between 2006 and 2011. All patients underwent PPUAA of the right and left radial, ulnar (UA), as well as the brachial arteries (BA) in the antecubital fossa using a linear probe. End-points assessed included the incidence and correlates of arterial sizes, vascular anomalies, procedure success, and fluoroscopy as well as ultrasound assessment times. RA occlusion rates were studied in the last 10 months of the study period., Results: Complete data on radial (mean 1.9 mm (male);1.7 mm (female)) and ulnar artery size (mean 1.8 mm (male); 1.6 mm (female)) and data on brachial branching anatomy were available in 2,344 patients; 1,872 of whom underwent a TR or TU procedure. The mean time to perform bilateral PPUAA was 6.4 min ± 1.8 min. The incidence of arterial abnormalities was 9.8% in PPUAA. Procedure success was 98.7% for CA and 97.5% for percutaneous coronary intervention. Outcomes were better in this cohort compared with remaining 3,781 patients in whom PPUAA data were not available., Conclusion: This single center prospective registry shows that PPUAA is feasible, requires minimum time, and provides anatomical information that may improve procedure success while reducing patient discomfort, arterial spasm, and fluoroscopy time. These findings should be confirmed in a randomized trial., (Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Background: Hypothenar hammer syndrome is a rare vascular overuse syndrome characterized by post-traumatic vascular insufficiency of the hand from repetitive compression over the hypothenar eminence. Patients with occupations predisposing to repetitive use of the hypothenar eminence as a tool are at high risk. Repetitive trauma compresses a superficial segment of the ulnar artery against the hook of hamate as it exits Guyon's canal, damaging the intimal layer of the artery and causing vasospasm, platelet aggregation, and thrombus formation, leading to pain and paresthesias that eventually progress to claudication and ischemia., Objective: The main objectives of this case report are to describe a representative example of hypothenar hammer syndrome and review common aspects of this clinical entity., Case Report: We describe the case of a 71-year-old man working as a car mechanic who presented with right-hand pain of several months' duration that was noted to have swelling and pain over the hypothenar eminence with associated paresthesias of the fifth digit. Duplex ultrasound imaging confirmed the presence of a dilated ulnar artery with arterial thrombus characteristic of hypothenar hammer syndrome. Conservative treatment, including cessation of activities that utilize the hypothenar region, was instituted with improvement in symptoms on follow-up evaluation., Conclusions: This case report illustrates a rare clinical condition that with prompt and early identification by Emergency Physicians can prevent significant morbidity and progression of disease. The epidemiology, clinical features, and diagnosis are discussed along with a review of the relevant literature regarding available treatment options., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Although the incidence of injury to the upper extremity screened with angiography as a result of proximity penetrating trauma is similar to that of the lower extremity, intervention rates seem to be higher. However, studies evaluating the incidence of injury as a result of proximity penetrating trauma have primarily focused on the lower extremity. This study shows the incidence and clinical significance of vascular injury as a result of proximity trauma to the upper extremity in a large cohort of patients screened with color-flow duplex., Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted from January 1, 2005 to January 1, 2012 on all patients undergoing color-flow duplex as a result of proximity penetrating trauma to the upper extremity. Data on injury location, mechanism, associated extremity and nonextremity injuries, and use and results of color-flow duplex were recorded and analyzed., Results: A total of 341 patients were identified who underwent color-flow duplex because of proximity penetrating trauma to the upper extremity. Injuries occurred in 370 extremities, with 253 located in the upper arm and 117 in the forearm. Overall, 18 (4.9%) injuries were identified on screening duplex ultrasound, of which 12 (3.2%) were arterial and 5 (1.4%) were venous. The therapeutic intervention rate for detected injuries to the upper arm was 1.6% (4/253), whereas no injuries of the forearm were identified that necessitated intervention., Conclusions: Although color-flow duplex is an inexpensive and noninvasive means of detecting injuries as a result of proximity penetrating trauma, screening upper extremity wounds is unlikely to detect clinically significant arterial injuries in need of therapeutic intervention. Venous injuries in the form of deep venous thromboses were detected in only 1.4% of patients. These findings suggest that screening for proximity penetrating trauma of the upper extremity is unlikely to detect injuries at a rate that would prove cost-effective on formal decision analysis., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A case of ulnar artery aneurysm in an independent roofer is reported. It is a rare disease often associated with the Hammer Hypothenar Syndrome specifically found in manual workers and athletes exposed to repetitive palmar trauma.

Arterial aneurysms in the forearm, wrist and hand are relatively uncommon. Penetrating injuries, arterial traumas, infections and repetitive microtraumas represent the most frequent cause of these secondary aneurysms or pseudo-aneurysms, while true nontraumaticor infective peripheral aneurysms of the upper extremities are very rarely encountered. Over the last 20 years these have been reported only sporadically, both in adults and children. We describe a case of bilateral true idiopathic saccular artery aneurysms in the hypothenar eminence, treated with excision and arterial continuity restoration by primary end-to-end anastomosis on the left side and conservatively on the right. To our knowledge, no other similar case has been documented to date. Starting from this original case we conducted a systematic review of the literature via PubMed search on peripheral aneurysms of the forearm and hand arteries from 1933 to the present, including specifically true distal ulnar and radial artery aneurysms. Etiology, clinical characteristics and management of these rare pathological entities are extensively discussed.

Introduction: Coronary procedures cannot be completed in 5-15% of cases through initially used radial artery approach due to frequent radial artery anomalies and vasospasm. In these cases, the ulnar artery approach could be the safe and effective alternative wrist approach., Case Report: A 60-year-old patient with stable angina pectoris, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and positive endurance test was admitted to our hospital for coronary angiography. Due to the backbone pains which also made prolonged lying in bed very uncomfortable and painful, we opted for the wrist approach (standard radial approach) after both modified Allen's tests had been performed, which gave the positive result. After sheath insertion into the right radial artery and unsuccessful advancement of the guidewire and the catheter, we performed the right forearm angiography, which revealed that the right radial artery had a small diameter and the right ulnar artery was the dominant one. Afterwards, the right ulnar artery was cannulated successfully and the coronary angiography was performed through this approach. Both sheaths were removed simultaneously immediately after the procedure and hemostasis was secured by the compression with two Terumo-bands over the puncture sites without any complications. The pulses of both arteries were checked regularly over the next 24 hours and they remained normal. A day after the procedure, the control Doppler-ultrasound check-up was performed and it confirmed the normal flow in both cannulated arteries. One-month follow-up was uneventful, and the patient did not experience any ischemic symptoms of the hand., Conclusion: This case is the proof that the ipsilateral ulnar approach can be a safe and effective alternative approach in patients with positive Allen's test after the failure of initial radial attempt in cases where femoral approach should be avoided or the wrist approach should be maintained.

Background: Local steroid injection may be an effective conservative treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome; however, the use of a blind injection technique can increase the chance of median nerve or ulnar artery injury due to median nerve swelling or the close proximity of the median nerve and ulnar artery around the distal wrist crease., Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the relative location of the median nerve and ulnar artery to the palmaris longus (PL) tendon around the wrist in carpal tunnel syndrome., Study Design: An observational study., Setting: A university outpatient interventional pain management practice in the Republic of Korea., Methods: Thirty hands of 15 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome and 30 hands of 15 healthy subjects were studied. Ultrasonography was performed to determine the relative relationship of the ulnar artery and median nerve to the PL tendon around the wrist., Results: There were statistically significant differences both in the distance from the medial margin of the PL to the medial end of the median nerve and the distance from the medial end of the median nerve to the lateral end of the ulnar artery at all levels of scanning between the 2 groups., Limitations: Limitations include the inclusion of a small number of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome., Conclusion: It is important to recognize the risk of blind local steroid injection for carpal tunnel syndrome, which is most likely a result of swelling and/or flattening of the median nerve around the distal wrist crease. A real time, ultrasound-guided local steroid injection is preferred as a safe and accurate technique in carpal tunnel syndrome treatment.

Carotid artery stenting (CAS) has increased in popularity as an alternative to carotid artery endarterectomy for the treatment of significant carotid artery stenosis. The access site is predominantly the femoral artery, with radial or brachial access used less often. Here, we describe a case of CAS after failure of brachial access. Transulnar CAS was performed successfully without complications. Transulnar access represents an additional option in a patient undergoing CAS when conventional femoral, brachial, and radial arteries are not applicable., (Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To compare the clinical Allen test, preoperative Doppler ultrasonography, and intraoperative surgical Allen test with postoperative clinical findings in reconstruction of complex head and neck defects using radial forearm free flaps., Design, Setting, and Patients: Retrospective review of 143 consecutive patients who underwent radial forearm free flap reconstruction from January 1, 1992, through December 31, 2006, at Vanderbilt University Medical Center., Results: Flap survival rate was 96.4%. No patients experienced digital necrosis or other findings of acute ischemia. Two patients (1.9%) who had normal results of clinical and surgical Allen tests developed hand contracture and palmar nodule formation. Surgical Allen test findings were normal in all patients who underwent reconstruction. Eighty-two arms had documentation of clinical Allen testing and Doppler ultrasonography in the patients' medical records. Agreement between these measures was 92.7%. The clinical Allen test result was 100% sensitive and 75% specific in predicting an abnormal Doppler ultrasonographic finding., Conclusions: The clinical Allen test is an appropriate preoperative evaluation before radial forearm free flap reconstruction. The addition of Doppler ultrasonography should be limited to patients with abnormal clinical Allen test results. The surgical Allen test provides reassurance but does not preclude the possibility of ischemic hand complications.

A 5-month-old previously healthy girl presented to the emergency department with a large palpable nontender mass in the hypothenar soft tissues of her left hand. US revealed a well-demarcated nonvascular soft tissue mass. Subsequent MR imaging showed a rim-enhancing mass with heterogeneous intrinsic signal characteristics. Abscess and necrotic tumor were the primary considerations. Surgery demonstrated a thrombosed aneurysm continuous with the ulnar artery system. The aneurysm was resected and the ulnar artery was ligated at the wrist.

This study evaluated ulnar and radial artery blood flow after radial artery cannulation during general anaesthesia using Doppler ultrasound. A total of 80 patients were randomly assigned to receive radial artery cannulation with either a 20-G or 22-G cannula. Arterial diameter, peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, resistance index and mean volume flow were measured at four time points in both arteries: before anaesthesia; 5 min after intubation; immediately after cannulation; and 5 min after cannulation. After radial artery cannulation, ulnar diameters and blood flow were significantly increased, and persisted until 5 min after cannulation. Radial blood flow was decreased immediately after cannulation and recovered to pre-cannulation values 5 min after cannulation. There were no statistical differences between groups at each time point. Radial artery cannulation causes compensatory increase in ulnar artery blood flow, and the difference in cannula size has minimal effect on this change., (Anaesthesia © 2012 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.)

Transradial approach to coronary angiography is a progressive and increasingly more often used technique. Apart from its advantages, radial artery occlusion (RAO) represents the most serious drawback. Re-canalization of an iatrogenic RAO, although asymptomatic in the majority of cases, remains a discussed and challenging topic. Besides its clear indications in symptomatic patients, it still remains questionable whether to perform this procedure in order to enable future repeated cannulations using the same access site and preserving the other remaining sites. For this particular reason we performed an antegrade re-canalization of an unrecognized RAO, likely a result of a previous transradial approach intervention. After a failed radial approach, the intervention was successfully performed via an ipsilateral ulnar artery. Following an uncomplicated coronary re-catheterization, RAO was angiographically diagnosed and re-canalized via the same (ulnar) access site using standard coronary equipment. Radial and ulnar artery patency were examined and checked on the following day and one month later using duplex ultrasonography.

Purpose: Dialysis access induced ischemia syndrome (DAIIS) is a serious complication of Vascular Access (VA) surgery. It mainly occurs in brachial VA. The aim of this prospective study was to ascertain whether early detection of DAIIS following brachial VA is possible, enabling immediate therapy., Materials and Methods: One hundred and three patients undergoing brachial VA-surgery were surveyed. Duplex ultrasound was performed before and directly after surgery and the flow amplitudes of the distal ulnar and radial arteries were measured. Clinical follow up was performed after two months. In addition, specific patient characteristics were assessed., Results: Sixteen patients (15.5%) developed DAIIS with the need for surgical intervention. Statistical analysis revealed a statistically significant correlation between post-operative flow amplitudes of the distal arteries measured by duplex ultrasound and the development of DAIIS., Conclusions: According to our data, measurement of the flow-amplitudes of distal arteries by duplex ultrasound shortly after surgery predicts the development of DAIIS. This makes immediate therapy possible. We recommend early post-operative duplex-ultrasound investigation following the creation of a brachial VA.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence and risk factors of ulnar artery occlusion (UAO) in an unselected SSc patient cohort and to determine whether UAO is associated with digital ulcers (DUs)., Methods: A total of 79 SSc patients and 40 'healthy' controls underwent colour duplex sonography of the radial and ulnar artery to compare blood flow velocity, resistive indices (RIs) and presence of occlusion and were followed for a mean of 53 months., Results: In both, radial and ulnar arteries, peak systolic velocity (PSV) and end-diastolic velocity (EDV) were significantly lower and RI higher in SSc patients compared with controls (PSVrad: 40.1 vs 48.6 cm/s; PSVuln 38.2 vs 56.6 cm/s; EDVrad 3.8 vs 10.4 cm/s; EDVuln 3.0 vs 13.0 cm/s; RIrad 0.91 vs 0.82; RIuln 0.92 vs 0.80; all P < 0.01). Seventeen (21.5%) SSc patients had UAO (11 patients bilateral) compared with none in the control subjects. Patients with UAO had a significantly longer disease duration (170 vs 66 months, P < 0.001). At baseline, the prevalence of DU was not different in upper extremities with UAO [8/28 (28.6%)] compared with upper extremities without UAO [36/129 (27.9%)]. However, during follow-up new or recurrent DU occurred more often in upper extremities with UAO than in those without UAO [14/28 (50%) vs 24/113 (21.2%); relative risk (RR) = 2.4; 95% CI 1.4, 3.7; P = 0.002]., Conclusion: Blood flow is significantly decreased in radial and ulnar arteries in SSc. UAO is frequent and an important risk factor for the development of DUs in patients with SSc.

Hypothenar hammer syndrome is a rare condition with a peculiar presentation that aids in making a clinical diagnosis. We present a 22-year-old male patient who presented with critical hand ischemia secondary to a distal ulnar aneurysm with distal embolization. The patient was treated with an aneurysmectomy with cephalic vein interposition graft, which resulted in complete reversal of his hand ischemia. This case report outlines the clinical presentation of this rare condition, along with a recent review of the literature.

A 60-year-old patient with end-stage renal disease was referred to our institute with ischemic tissue loss and pain at rest of the fourth finger of the left hand. Lesions involved the subclavian artery, the brachial artery, the ulnar artery, the radial artery and the palmer arch. After successful angioplasty with noble technique, patient's symptoms were disappeared immediately and ischemic lesions were healed at only 1-month follow-up. This interesting case report may illustrate a help of treatment strategy of critical hand ischemia with complex lesions.

A 67-year-old man underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention for acute anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction. The right radial artery was the access of choice. After easy cannulation, a 360-degree loop was found at the elbow level. The brachial artery and a large ulnar artery were visible by injecting contrast through the radial loop. After an unsuccessful attempt to engage the loop, the operator switched entry site for the homolateral ulnar artery. Leaving the radial sheath in place, the cannulation of the ulnar artery was successful and uncomplicated. The operator could easily perform a successful intervention of the culprit vessel. An angiogram of the wrist, via the ulnar sheath showed the presence of a big interosseous artery with flow up to the hand and no flow in the radial and ulnar arteries distal to the sheaths. The ulnar and radial arteries were successfully sealed after a few hours, a valid pulsation was present on both arteries and no signs of ischemia were evident in the right hand the day after., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate the blood flow characteristics of the radial and ulnar arteries of the hands of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) either in the neutral position or in provocative positions using color Doppler imaging., Subjects and Methods: Subjects with relevant complaints of CTS and positive Tinel sign and/or Phalen maneuver were recruited. Nerve conduction studies were performed to confirm the diagnosis of CTS. Forty-four hands of 22 patients with CTS (bilateral involvement) and 24 hands of 12 healthy volunteers were included in the study. Pulsed and color Doppler evaluations with the hands in the neutral, Phalen, and reverse Phalen positions were performed of the radial and ulnar arteries using a 5-13-MHZ linear-array transducer (Logiq 9)., Results: All of the CTS patients and control subjects were women; their mean ages were 50.77 ± 7.69 (SD) and 46.42 ± 4.32 years, respectively. When hands were evaluated in the neutral position, the flow volume, peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, and diameter values of both the radial and ulnar arteries were significantly greater in patients with CTS than in control subjects (all p < 0.05). When compared with the measurements obtained with hands at the neutral position, the decreases in the amount of blood flow during the Phalen and reverse Phalen maneuvers were significantly greater in the CTS group than the control group. The amount of blood flow decrease was not correlated with the disease duration., Conclusion: Blood flow in the hands of CTS patients differs from that of healthy individuals both at rest and during certain hand movements. Future studies, also with simultaneous monitoring of sympathetic innervation, could be beneficial to confirm the association between blood flow and the sympathetic nerves of the hand.

Objective: Radial artery harvesting has been questioned because of purported long-term circulatory consequences. Previous midterm Doppler ultrasonographic results are inconsistent regarding ulnar arterial effects. Flow-mediated vasodilatation more sensitively measures response to shear stress as index of arterial reactivity and function., Methods: We contacted 231 patients who had undergone radial artery harvesting at least 10 years previously (mean follow-up, 12.9 ± 0.8 years). Subcohort of 25 volunteers (mean age, 69.2 ± 8.4 years) underwent ultrasonographic evaluation of ipsilateral (harvest) and contralateral (control) ulnar arteries. Flow-mediated vasodilatation compared changes in ulnar arterial diameters before and after occlusion., Results: In subcohort, peak systolic velocity of harvest ulnar artery was 0.82 ± 0.15 m/s, versus 0.63 ± 0.23 m/s on control side (P < .001), with no differences in intimomedial thickness (P = .763) or presence of atherosclerotic plaques (P = .364). Baseline diameter of harvest ulnar artery was 3.0 ± 0.5 mm, versus 2.7 ± 0.6 mm on control side (P = .007). Postocclusion diameter of harvest ulnar artery was 3.2 ± 0.5 mm, versus 2.9 ± 0.6 mm on control side (P = .001). No differences were seen in preocclusion and postocclusion absolute and percentage changes in ulnar arterial diameter (Table 1)., Conclusions: Despite increased shear stress, no deterioration in either ulnar arterial structure or functional reactivity was measured by flow-mediated vasodilatation more than 10 years after radial artery harvesting. With appropriate preoperative evaluation, radial arterial grafting for coronary artery bypass grafting is not associated with long-term donor limb vascular insufficiency., (Copyright © 2011 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 39-year-old woman presented with ischemia of the left hand. Angiography revealed thrombosis of forearm arteries. Surgical intervention was unsuccessful. CT angiography revealed an exostosis on the distal humerus close to the brachial artery which we believe was the cause of repetitive minor trauma to the brachial artery leading to embolic occlusion of the radial and ulnar arteries. Early diagnosis of the underlying cause is the key to successful treatment of hand ischemia. For patients without risk factors for arterial occlusive disease, imaging of bony structures must be performed in order not to miss the likely cause of an insidious repetitive vascular trauma.

Acute or chronic arterial thrombose due to repetitive blunt trauma to the palm of the hand is a rare occupational vascular disease. In most of the cases it affects the ulnar artery and its superficial palmar branch. Repetitive crush is pathogenic and the unique anatomy of the superficial branch of the ulnar artery lying next to the hook of hamate is causative. In rare cases it may affect the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery, called thenar hammer syndrome. The combination of both is an absolute rarity. Both syndromes are occupational diseases in workers using the hand as a hammer. Patients typically present with Raynaud phenomenon or complain about ischemic pain, cold intolerance, or cyanosis. The gold standard in diagnosis is the angiography. Surgical or conservative treatment can be performed successfully. We present a case of combined thenar and hypothenar hammer and a brief review of the literature., (© Thieme Medical Publishers.)

Context: Mycotic aneurysm of the ulnar artery is extremely rare. We report a case of mycotic aneurysm of the ulnar artery due to subacute bacterial endocarditis (SBE) presenting with a painful pulsatile mass in hypotenar region., Case Report: In a 39-year-old man, treated as a case of SBE, a painful progressive pulsatile mass appeared in the left hypotenar region. Ultrasonography and angiography showed an aneurysm of ulnar artery in this region. The aneurysm was resected by surgery., Conclusion: Since the diagnosis may be difficult at the early phase and in some cases limb loss may occur, there should be high clinical suspicion to make a prompt diagnosis.

Noninvasive testing for patency and completeness of the palmar arch prior to radial artery (RA) harvesting for coronary revascularization is a frequently requested test in the Vascular Laboratory (VL). The sonographer and interpreting physician must be aware of palmar arch anatomy and common variations in order to provide accurate information and avoid hand ischemia. The RA is a favored conduit for coronary revascularization due to good early and mid-term patency rates, which are superior to vein grafts.(1) Cardiac surgeons need precise information on adequate ulnar artery (UA) collateral circulation prior to harvesting the RA to avoid hand ischemia. Since the reliability of the Allen's test is in dispute, noninvasive assessment in the VL is frequently utilized.