Timely rescue of 7-year-old boy's arm that had a severed artery due to a rare accident

DNO - A boy with a severed left brachial artery underwent surgery at Da Nang Family General Hospital using the great saphenous vein from his leg to graft onto the brachial artery to restore blood circulation, helping to preserve his arm.

The medical team at Da Nang Family General Hospital focused on connecting the saphenous vein from the leg to save the child's arm. Photo: LE HUNG

Previously, during recess, H.D.D. (7 years old) climbed a nearly 2 meter high wall, slipped and fell, causing a sharp iron stake to pierce the inside of his left arm.

D. pressed on the bleeding wound and called an adult for help. Afterwards, he received first aid from the school medical staff, bandaged, and was urgently transferred to Da Nang Family General Hospital.

MSc. Dr. Vo Hoai Bao, a specialist in Thoracic and Vascular Surgery (Gia Dinh General Hospital) said: Although the external wound was quite small and had stopped bleeding thanks to the pressure bandage, the patient's left arm was cold, pale, and the radial pulse could not be felt. This is a clear sign of acute ischemia of the left arm.

The results of the urgent Doppler ultrasound showed that the blood flow downstream of D.’s arm was almost gone, and it was suspected that the brachial artery had ruptured. The patient was at risk of limb necrosis and was scheduled for emergency surgery within the “golden time” of 6 hours to save the arm.

When the wound was opened, the doctor discovered that the child’s brachial artery was crushed for a length of 6cm, the brachial vein was torn and important nerves were bruised. With such a long injury, direct arterial reattachment was impossible.

Dr. Vo Hoai Bao and the surgical team decided to use a piece of the great saphenous vein in the leg as a graft, connecting the two ends of the severed artery, re-establishing blood flow to the limb.

This is a difficult technique, especially more complicated in children, where the blood vessels are very small, the risk of anastomotic stenosis and postoperative vascular occlusion is very high, requiring meticulous and precise manipulation.

MSc. Dr. Vo Hoai Bao examined and checked the health of H.D.D. before discharging him from the hospital. Photo: LE HUNG

After nearly a day of surgery, the pulse signal in D.'s arm gradually recovered. The arm gradually warmed up, the skin became rosy again, and the pulse in the lower limb was clearly visible, a sign that blood flow had been restored.

The child continued to receive intensive care, close monitoring, anti-thrombotic drugs and early physical therapy. Each day, D.'s left arm moved better, and feeling gradually returned. After 10 days of treatment, the child was discharged to the joy of his family and the medical team.

MSc. Dr. Vo Hoai Bao shared: “Peripheral artery injuries in children are extremely rare, accounting for less than 1% of pediatric trauma cases. However, this is a dangerous condition that can cause acute blood loss or limb necrosis if not promptly intervened.

Surgery to restore blood circulation during the golden period is a decisive factor in preserving the child's limbs and motor function. In addition, parents should instruct their children on how to temporarily handle injuries and quickly call for help from adults to limit unfortunate incidents from happening.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/kip-thoi-cuu-canh-tay-be-trai-7-tuoi-bi-dut-dong-mach-do-tai-nan-hy-huu-3308787.html