[Trauma to the axillary artery in shoulder dislocations. Apropos of a case]

The authors have observed one case of injury to the axillary artery complicating anterior dislocation of the shoulder. It produced a marked haematoma of the axilla and ischaemia of the upper limb. At operation, avulsion of a posterior branch was associated with thrombosis of the trunk of the axillary artery. The result was good after saphenous vein grafting. This complication is very rare. Similar complications could arise from an excessively forceful reduction.