Pathological fracture of the clavicle causing subclavian pseudoaneurysm formation.

Pseudoaneurysm of the subclavian artery is a rare but serious condition generally occurring as a result of penetrating injury to the shoulder region, often iatrogenic. As well as the potential for distal ischaemia, this condition can result in compression of adjacent structures. Untreated it can lead to rupture with life-threatening haemorrhage. We describe the unusual case of a patient with a background of metastatic breast carcinoma who presented with a pseudoaneurysm of the subclavian artery secondary to a pathological fracture of the clavicle. The patient was managed surgically due to the development of necrosis of the overlying skin. Less invasive management of subclavian pseudoaneurysms has recently been described, including endovascular stenting and percutaneous thrombin injection.