Images in emergency medicine

Construction Worker with Painful Swelling on the Hand

Diagnosis

Vascular malformation of the radial artery within the context of acute thenar hammer syndrome. Thenar hammer syndrome is characterized by symptoms, either due to activity or at rest, of numbness, paresthesia, Raynaud phenomenon, and/or pain due to vascular injury to the radial artery (branches) through repetitive mechanical energy damage (such as due to hammering).¹ The hypothenar hammer syndrome is more common and the equivalent at the other side of the hand.² The disease can develop acute or