Extremity necrosis caused by indwelling arterial catheters

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Infectious Disease

Background:

• Indwelling arterial catheters are common in critical care.
• Complications such as tissue damage and thrombosis can occur.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report cases of arterial tissue damage from indwelling catheters.
• To highlight methods for preventing such complications.

Main Methods:

• Case series review of patients with arterial catheter complications.
• Analysis of clinical presentation and outcomes.

Main Results:

• Four patients experienced tissue damage due to arterial catheters.
• Three cases involved radial artery catheters; one involved the dorsalis pedis artery.
• Septic thrombosis was identified in one patient.

Conclusions:

• Precannulation evaluation of arterial circulation is crucial.
• Proper catheter management and close clinical observation are essential for preventing infection and ischemia.