Endovascular Treatment of a Traumatic Axillary Artery Rupture Using the Dual Bull’s-Eye Technique

Background: Our purpose is to report a case of an axillary artery rupture treated by endovascular means using the dual bull’s-eye technique. An 83-year-old woman with multiple comorbidities was diagnosed with axillary artery rupture after the reduction of a shoulder dislocation.

Methods: An endovascular repair attempt was made, but, despite the use of a double approach (antegrade and retrograde), reconnecting both ends of the severed artery was deemed not possible. 5-mm Amplatz GooseNeck snares were advanced from each access and superposed in a perpendicular plane. A percutaneous infraclavicular puncture with a lumbar needle was made through both snares, and a V14 guidewire was subsequently introduced. The guidewire was recovered through femoral and brachial accesses, and a 7 × 100 mm covered self-expandable stent was deployed.

Results: The final angiographic control did not show further hemorrhage, and the patient recovered radial pulse. Follow-up showed complete patency and no complications at 9 months after the procedure.

Conclusions: The dual bull’s-eye technique can be used as a resource tool in cases of arterial rupture, when the arterial continuity cannot be re-established by conventional approaches.