Traction Injuries to the Brachial Artery Caused by Power Take-Off Mechanisms

  • Kent, P.;
  • McCollum, P. T.;
  • Moore, D. J.;
  • Sanfey, H.;
  • Shanik, D. G.;
  • Tarif, H.
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P. Kent, P. T. McCollum, H. Sanfey, H. Tarif, D. J. Moore, D. G. Shanik
NIOSH Education and Information Division

AUTHOR ABSTRACT

The brachial artery was damaged by the power take- off (PTO) mechanism of agricultural tractors in four patients who presented to the vascular unit within a 6-month period. The probable mode of injury was acute compression secondary to clothes catching in the unguarded universal joint of the PTO shaft. Three of the four cases had associated fractures of the humerus. In all cases there was severe, local soft tissue damage with partial or complete rupture of biceps or triceps and in three patients skin loss was extensive. Eventual outcome following surgery was poor, reflecting the serious nature of these injuries. One patient died from pulmonary embolism. A further patient required amputation of his forearm after an unsuccessful attempt to revascularize the arm 23 h after injury. Of the remaining two, only one has full function of his arm.

JOURNAL AND NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE ID#

JOURNAL: Injury. 1988; 19(4): 289-291.

Note: Injury: British Journal of Accident Surgery.

NLOM ID#: 89154712 .

Publication #: 89154712


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Reviewed for NASD: 04/2002

This document was extracted from the CDC-NIOSH Epidemiology of Farm Related Injuries: Bibliography With Abstracts, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

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