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Published on: September 8, 2023
Acute Upper Extremity Arterial Occlusion Diagnosed on POCUS in the Emergency Department
Derrick Huang1, Jacob Ruzicka1, Leoh León1,2
1University of Central Florida College of Medicine/HCA Emergency Medicine Residency Program of Ocala, HCA Florida Ocala Hospital Ocala, FL USA.
Abstract:
Upper extremity acute limb ischemia (ALI) is a limb-threatening and potentially lethal pathology that is most commonly caused by vascular embolization. Outcomes of limb ischemia are time-sensitive due to the correlation between a longer time from symptom onset to intervention with a vastly higher risk of amputation. In this report, point of care ultrasound (POCUS) was utilized to rapidly diagnose a patient with a proximal right brachial artery embolic occlusion, prompting expedited surgical consultation and successful embolectomy. POCUS can provide a focused vascular examination of the limbs to expedite diagnosis of time-sensitive ALI and facilitate timely medical intervention and surgical consultation.
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