Radial artery pseudo aneurysm after percutaneous cannulation using Seldinger technique

Abstract

Cannulation of a peripheral artery in a patient allows for continuous blood pressure (BP) monitoring and facilitates frequent arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis. Complications include thrombosis, embolism risk, haemorrhage, sepsis, and formation of pseudo aneurysms. A 75-year-old male admitted via casualty with a collapse secondary to seizures. Patient was intubated and mechanically ventilated for 7 days. A right radial artery catheter was inserted on admission to casualty. The arterial catheter remained in situ for 7 days. Five days following its removal, the skin site appeared inflamed and a wound swab grew methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Eight days later a distinct bulging of the radial artery was noticed. An ultrasound was done and it showed radial artery pseudoaneurysm, the diagnosis was confirmed by angiogram. Delayed radial artery pseudoaneurysm formation has only been reported in association with infection, and less than twenty of these cases have been reported in the literature.

Keywords: Cannulation; pseudoaneurysm; radial artery.

Figure 1

Ultrasound image of radial artery pseudoaneurysm