Acute subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm after closed fracture of the clavicle.

Abstract

A sixty-year-old woman was admitted with an acute subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm after a closed fracture of the middle third of the right clavicle. This manifested itself a few days after the injury as a slowly growing, pulsatile and purple tumour-like mass in the right supraclavicular fossa. The distal pulses were normal, but this observation does not exclude a vascular trauma. This is an uncommon but potentially dangerous complication as it jeopardizes both the extremity and the life of the patient.