Case History: 57-year-old male presents to the emergency room with increasing pain and numbness in his right upper extremity.He reports he had a cystic lesion in his right kidney found on ultrasound and had a diagnostic follow up study earlier in the day to further characterize.
He reports he had a cystic lesion in his right kidney found on ultrasound and had a diagnostic follow up study earlier in the day to further characterize.
Frontal radiograph of the right arm shows a large soft tissue collection in the expected location of the biceps compartment.
Lateral radiograph of the right arm shows a large soft tissue collection in the expected location of the biceps compartment.
Diagnosis: Contrast extravasation
While the risk of extravasation itself is not increased with the use of power injectors, there are certain conditions that do increase a patient’s risk for extravasation.
Most extravasations are limited to the adjacent soft tissues and self limited.
Optimal management for contrast extravasation varies depending on the amount of contrast extravasated and patient’s symptoms.
In this case, the patient presented with compartment syndrome which would require a surgical consultation.
Compartment syndrome from contrast extravasation is a result of having increased volume introduced into a closed space.
