Early ischemic complication resulting with amputation of the thumb after radial arter cannulation (case report)

The left radial artery of a 34 year old male patient who was scheduled for surgery due to rectum cancer was cannulated after performing the Allen's test in the operating room. In the first hour following the operation, it was seen that the area between the antecubitas and the hand was hyperemic. The tenar area of the hand and the thumb was cyanotic, so the cannula was removed. Doppler showed radial artery pulsations. Antithrombotic and anticoagulant treatment was started intraoperatively. Radial artery flow was weak with doppler on the first postoperative day. Since there was no response to the treatment, the thumb finger was amputed one month later. It was concluded that the patient experienced radial trombosis resulting from the cannulation.