Treatment of iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm of brachial artery with percutaneous ultrasonographically guided thrombin injection (PUGTI): a case report and a literature review

Abstract

Objective: Report the successful treatment of iatrogenic pseudoaneurysm of the brachial artery with the percutaneous ultrasonographically guided thrombin injection (PUGTI).

Material and method: The pseudoaneurysm was caused by an accidental puncture into a native brachial artery instead of the venous side of an arteriovenous fistula during hemodialysis. The aneurysmal sac had a large size with a short neck, vulnerable to intra-arterial thrombosis and distal artery embolization during the thrombin glue injection.

Results: This procedure was secured by using color duplex ultrasonography (CDU) for the accurate positioning of the needle and the assessment of the optimal dosage of the injected bovine thrombin. After the procedure, an elastic compression was applied at the injection site to prevent the reentry of blood flow into the aneurysmal sac. The flow in the aneurysmal sac completely disappeared in seven days after the treatment. The 4-month follow-up demonstrated the complete resolution of the aneurysmal sac.

Conclusion: Percutaneous injection of bovine thrombin under ultrasound guidance is possible as one of the minimal invasive procedures to treat the pseudoaneurysm of the extremity artery.