Successful hand revascularization with urokinase following a crush injury

Acute hand ischemia is a medical emergency requiring immediate treatment. We report a case of acute hand ischemia due to a crush injury of the wrist. Management with urokinase was successful in reestablishing flow to the ulnar artery and the digital vessels. In the setting of acute trauma with extensive thrombosis of the vessels of the hand, thrombolytic therapy may offer a better treatment option than surgical exploration with bypass grafting.