Posterior circumflex humeral artery injury with distal embolisation in professional volleyball players: a discussion of three cases.

Presented are three cases of volleyball players with ischaemia of the hand due to arterial emboli originating from an injured posterior circumflex humeral artery (PCHA). An operative treatment with ligation of the PCHA was performed in all patients because of the proximity of the occlusion to the axillary artery. After a rehabilitation programme, all patients could return to their previous level of competition. During overhead motion, the PCHA is prone to injury in its position overlying the humeral head and its course through the quadrilateral space. Recognition of the vascular origin of these symptoms in athletes is important to prevent serious ischaemic complications. Signs of ischaemia might be subtle and may be misdiagnosed as musculoskeletal injuries. Therefore, the examining physician must have a high index of suspicion and awareness about these injuries is important.