Delayed Subclavian Vein Stenosis without Thrombosis Following Clavicle Fracture

ABSTRACT

Subclavian vein injuries occasionally occur as a sequela of penetrating trauma or vascular access, but have rarely been reported to occur after clavicle fracture. The subclavian vessels are mainly enclosed by the subclavius muscle, the first rib, and the costocoracoid ligament. Therefore, in such cases, subclavian vein injury is rare because of the strcutures surrounding the subclavian vessels. Nevertheless, subclavian vein injuries occasionally show thrombotic manifestations, and thrombosis of the upper limbs constitutes 1–4% of cases of total deep vein thrombosis. Furthermore, to the best of the authors' knowledge, although vessel injuries have been reported after clavicle or rib fractures and nerve injuries to regions such as the brachial plexus, no case involving delayed presentation of isolated subclavian vein stenosis after clavicle fracture due to blunt trauma has yet been reported.