Brachial Artery Entrapment in a Professional Athlete

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Sports Medicine
• Anatomy

Background:

• Compression of the median nerve by the lacertus fibrosus is well-documented in athletes.
• Arterial compression at the elbow by the lacertus fibrosus is rarely described.
• This case highlights a professional baseball pitcher with distal brachial and proximal radial artery compression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the evaluation and surgical treatment of lacertus fibrosus-induced arterial compression.
• To present a rare case of arterial occlusion in a professional athlete.

Main Methods:

• A professional baseball pitcher with recurrent upper extremity arterial occlusions was evaluated.
• Diagnostic imaging included angiography, CT angiogram, and dynamic MRI.
• Surgical exploration and decompression of the lacertus fibrosus was performed.

Main Results:

• Preoperative angiography showed disrupted blood flow in the pitching position.
• Postoperatively, angiography confirmed normal brachial artery flow in all positions after decompression.
• The patient experienced no further arterial occlusions for nearly 3 years.

Conclusions:

• Lacertus fibrosus decompression is an effective treatment for arterial compression at the elbow.
• This surgical approach can successfully resolve recurrent arterial occlusions in athletes.
• Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial for managing vascular compression syndromes in athletes.