Compound and acutely ruptured false aneurysm of the brachial artery: A case report

Introduction. A patient with a neglected, compound acutely ruptured false aneurysm of the brachial artery which developed after a periprosthetic fracture of the right humerus, is reported. Case presentation. An 84-year-old Greek woman underwent right shoulder hemiarthroplasty 2 years before a periprosthetic fracture which was treated conservatively in another hospital. After removing the U-slab herself, she noticed the development of an ulcer on the mid-humerus, with continuous oozing but no fever. This led to above-elbow amputation in an attempt to save the patient's life. Conclusion. It is hoped that by awareness of such a possibility coupled with an early diagnosis based on the clinical picture and imaging modalities, such unfortunate results can be avoided in the future. In case of increasing displacement at the fracture site and excessive local swelling, the possibility of the presence of a false brachial aneurysm should be ruled out despite the presence of normal perfusion of the hand and palpable radial and ulnar pulses. © 2009 licensee BioMed Central Ltd.