Title : Emergency vascular shunting using IV tubing for brachial artery injury: A life-saving innovation in resource-limited settings
Abstract:
The brachial artery is the most commonly injured artery in the upper extremities because of its vulnerability. This case report presents our experience with managing brachial artery injury using an improvised vascular shunting technique. A 38-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a penetrating bullet wound on the forearm, resulting in a 10 cm transection of the brachial artery, brachial vein injury, and small medial epicondyle fracture. Emergency surgery was performed following resuscitation. Intraoperatively, a temporary vascular shunt was created using an intravenous drip to maintain distal perfusion before definitive repair. The brachial artery was reconstructed using a graft from the great saphenous vein harvested from the thigh. The brachial vein was ligated and two K-wires were used to stabilize the medial epicondyle fragment. Postoperatively, the patient showed good recovery, with proper wound healing, intact hand sensation, and distal blood supply, and was discharged after two weeks.
Keywords: Brachial artery injury, vascular trauma, gunshot wound, vein graft, vascular shunting.
