Infant undergoes successful surgery for rare radial artery aneurysm

When Raghav was six months old, his parents spotted a pulsating bulge on his right wrist, which marked the beginning of his medical journey. They sought advice from several physicians in Davangere, their hometown. His illness required surgery, but because of the risks, the local doctors were reluctant to operate on such a young infant. 

A nine-month-old Raghav K. (name changed) has successfully undergone surgery in a private hospital in the city for a radial artery aneurysm, a vascular ailment rarely seen in children.

When Raghav was six months old, his parents spotted a pulsating bulge on his right wrist, which marked the beginning of his medical journey. They sought advice from several physicians in Davangere, their hometown. His illness required surgery, but because of the risks, the local doctors were reluctant to operate on such a young infant. 

The parents were then referred to Rajendra Prasad, Senior Consultant – Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at Manipal Hospital Yeshwantpur. When Raghav first arrived at hospital, he was thoroughly examined through Doppler tests and CT and MR angiograms. The findings verified that he had an aneurysm in the radial artery (one of the major blood vessels supplying the wrist, forearm, and hand).

“Aneurysm is a condition in which the artery swells abnormally but is not ruptured. It is very rarely seen in children. If left untreated the condition carries risk of rupture an dthromboembolism. Particularly for the aneurysms in upper limbs (as seen in Raghav’s case) a prompt surgical removal and correction of the blood vessel remains the mainstay of the treatment,” explained Dr Prasad.

Because of the rare condition, the doctor convinced Raghav’s parents that a surgery was necessary to prevent further complications and to restore the baby’s health.

The infant underwent surgery on December 2, 2024, for the removal of the aneurysm. Dr Prasad and his team performed the procedure under magnification loupes, ensuring no harm was done to the surrounding tissues and arteries. Both the arteries feeding the aneurysm were meticulously controlled before excising the aneurysm. Notably, no reconstruction of the artery was required, as the blood supply to the hand remained stable throughout the procedure. Post-surgery, there were no signs of complications such as hand ischemia, and all hand movements were preserved.

Highlighting the rarity and complexity of the case, Dr Prasad emphasised that there are currently no recognised diagnostic or therapeutic guidelines for paediatric peripheral artery aneurysms. “This is an exceedingly uncommon case of an idiopathic radial artery aneurysm, with no apparent cause such as trauma, infection, or a vascular disorder. The case was challenging, but the surgery was successful and Raghav is recovering well,” he said.