Rupture of the Subclavian Artery
I’m Ed Smith, a Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento. The subclavian artery is one of the first blood vessels to come off of the aorta. It supplies blood to many different parts of the body. Because of its size, damage to this vessel can cause someone to bleed to death quickly. Injuries to the blood vessels can be devastating for an individual. The blood vessels play an essential role in the transportation of oxygen and nutrients to various parts of the body. Some of the most common mechanisms of serious injuries to these vessels include:
- Penetrating Trauma: If the skin is punctured by a bullet, knife, or piece of glass in traumatic events, this can cause damage to the blood vessels that live underneath.
- Blunt Trauma: Blunt injury to the surface of the skin can damage some of the smaller vessels close to the surface. Bruises result when veins near the surface of the skin are torn.
- Procedures: Sometimes, vessels can be damaged during medical procedures. Catheterization procedures involve a wire being placed inside of vessels. Punctures to walls of these vessels can lead to tears.
The subclavian artery is one of the largest vessels in the body. When this vessel is damaged, the results could be life-threatening.
A Case Report: Subclavian Artery Rupture
A case report was recently published that described a boy who suffered a rupture of his subclavian artery in an auto accident. He was sitting in the front passenger seat of a car. His parent lost control of the vehicle and the car flipped. The boy’s neck was twisted by the seatbelt. This twisting motion led to a significant bruise on his chest. When help arrived, they noted him to be a bit dazed and confused. They were worried that he was losing consciousness. They transported him to a nearby hospital. Doctors realized his blood pressure started to drop, and they gave him a transfusion. They were concerned that this did not seem to be doing much. They scanned him and found that he had a tear in his subclavian artery and was bleeding into his chest cavity. He was transported to an operating room for emergency surgery. They stitched the damage in his subclavian artery, and he made a full recovery.
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Personal Injury Lawyers in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a Personal Injury Lawyer in Sacramento. If you or a loved one has been injured or developed a bleeding problem following a car crash, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. I will provide free, friendly legal advice.
I am a proud member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
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Image Attribution: Unsplash was the first host of the photo seen at the top. The picture has been reproduced here with permission
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