Radial nerve injury after intravenous cannulation at the wrist--a case report

Peripheral venous cannulation is one of the commonest procedures performed in hospitals. The dorso-lateral aspect of the wrist is one of the favourite sites. Radial nerve injury, though extremely rare, can be a serious complication and has been reported twice. One patient was left with a permanent work disability due to a painful neuroma. Another patient required surgical intervention to remove a neuroma six months after the initial venous cannulation resulting in almost complete recovery. We report the first case of injury to the radial nerve at the wrist as a complication of venous cannulation where complete recovery occurred spontaneously. In our case, immediate removal of the cannula may be responsible for the improved outcome.