Upper extremity arterial injuries in athletes.

Upper extremity arterial injury resulting in hand and digit ischemia can occur in athletes who perform repetitive, high-stress, overhead arm motions. The initial presentation of these injuries often mimics the more common musculoskeletal injuries found in these athletes, and therefore, a high index of suspicion is essential to establish the diagnosis in a timely fashion. There are several described mechanisms of injury, most of which involve extrinsic compression and injury to the axillary artery or its branches from the humeral head. The clinical diagnosis is confirmed with noninvasive vascular laboratory testing, and the anatomy is generally confirmed using contrast arteriography. Surgical repair is almost always successful in these patients, allowing full recovery with return to competition.