Case report: the role of arteriography in patients with isolated neurological deficit following a penetrating upper limb injury.

Two cases are described of patients who presented with isolated neurological deficit following penetrating injury to the upper limb. Arteriography demonstrated brachial artery false aneurysm formation in each case. There are accepted indications for emergency angiography following stab wounds including pulse deficit, vascular bruit, expanding haematoma and hypotension with no obvious cause. Indirect indicators of vascular damage include proximity of the injury to an artery with no physical signs or isolated neurological deficit. These indications do have a significant association with concurrent arterial injury and should be investigated by elective angiography if the patient is haemodynamically stable.