Recurrent upper extremity acute limb ischemia secondary to retained axillary polytetrafluoroethylene cuff causing axillary stump syndrome

Abstract

Acute limb ischemia of the upper extremity is less frequently encountered than in the lower extremity. The etiology is typically cardioembolic. Axillary-femoral stump syndrome is a rare complication associated with an occluded axillary-femoral bypass graft. We present the case of recurrent acute limb ischemia of the upper extremity whose embolic source was a retained cuff of a previously explanted axillary-profunda bypass graft. The patient failed anticoagulation after an initial embolectomy and after a recurrent embolism from the retained cuff, ultimately required cuff exclusion with a covered stent.

Keywords

• Axillofemoral graft
• Graft infection
• Axillary stump syndrome