Overview on Causes and Management of Upper Extremity Ischemia- A Review

Abstract

Acute upper limb ischemia (AULI) occurs less often than acute lower limb ischemia, contributing for even less than 5% of all limb ischemia instances. It is known to be rare vascular emergency with serious long-term effects if not treated promptly. Timely detection and localization of the arterial occlusion are critical for effective revascularization and limb salvage. Surgical procedure, most commonly embolectomy, has become the standard of care for embolic or thrombotic AULI. Vascular repair is synonymous with morbidity and death, which can be avoided in some circumstances. Nonsurgical options such as endovascular procedures, thrombolytic agents, and anticoagulation therapy continue to advance, but their function in upper extremity ischemia remains unclear. In this Review, we discuss causes and management of acute upper extremity ischemia.  The paper concluded that longer symptoms mean greater likelihood of functional sequelae. Surgical management is the most commonly used and best treatment. It is also possible that conservative management is being underreported. The prognosis of upper extremity ischemia is related to prompt and appropriate treatment and is predictable based on initial serum LDH levels.