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can a blood pressure cuff cause nerve damage

by Molly Wisoky Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

The incidence of automatic blood pressure cuff-related nerve injury is unknown, as it has been described only in case reports. All of the case reports showed single nerve injury, but in our case, all the major nerves of the left upper limb were affected.

Full Answer

Can bad nerves cause high blood pressure?

In this scenario, high blood pressure may be caused by simply turning your head one way or the other and creating compression or pressure on the glossopharyngeal nerve. “I was not surprised that my blood pressure was elevated and that I had rapid heart rate.

Can a damaged nerve repair itself?

When one of your nerves is cut or damaged, it will try to repair itself. The nerve fibres (axons) shrink back and ‘rest’ for about a month; then they begin to grow again. Axons will regenerate about 1mm per day. The extent to which your nerve will recover is variable, and it will always be incomplete.

Can nerves heal after being damaged?

The time a damaged nerve takes to heal depends on numerous factors, including the type of nerve and whether surgery is performed to repair the nerve, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Once a repair is made, the damage begins to heal within three to four weeks of the initial injury.

Does a nerve block cause severe high blood pressure?

Six months later, the patients who received the nerve block procedure had experienced an average systolic blood pressure drop of 32 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure drop of 12 mm Hg, the study authors said.

Can a blood pressure cuff pinch a nerve?

Perioperative radial nerve compression can result from prolonged inflation of an automatic blood pressure cuff around the arm, especially in a lean patient [20]. One of the main reasons this type of compression occurs is because the blood pressure cuff is placed over the distal third of the arm.

Should the blood pressure cuff hurt?

A blood pressure test is simple, quick and usually painless. However, the blood pressure cuff squeezes the arm while it inflates. Some people find this slightly uncomfortable. The feeling lasts for only a few seconds.

Can a blood pressure cuff cause a blood clot?

Although non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP) monitoring is regarded as a safe procedure, blood pressure (BP) cuff can cause petechial rash, ecchymoses, venous stasis, thrombophlebitis [1,2], infection [3], hematoma formation in patients on anticoagulants [4], compartment syndrome [5], compressive neuropathy [2,6] and ...

Can a blood pressure cuff cause petechiae?

The formation of petechiae distal to the BP cuff during BP monitoring is quite common, particularly in diabetic patients (2). These petechiae may be mild and often go undetected.

Can a tight blood pressure cuff cause damage?

If the cuff you're using doesn't fit properly, it could squeeze your arm too tightly, causing your skin to fold over and pinch. Not only that, but an improper cuff fit could also lead to error codes on your blood pressure monitor or incorrect — often abnormally high — blood pressure readings.

Can you get a bruise from a blood pressure cuff?

Repeated squeezing of the upper arm is unavoidable and uncomfortable and may result in some bruising under the cuff. Between recordings, your hand and arm should return to normal. If you have swelling, discoloration or pain in between the measurements, please take the device off.

Can you hurt your arm taking your blood pressure?

This is most likely an irritation of the nerve, and should cause permanent damage to the nerve. The one major nerve in the upper arm is the brachial nerve and is located on the inside surface (the side that comes in contact with your chest) of the arm.

How long can you leave a blood pressure cuff inflated?

While the cuff is inflating and deflating, it is best to try to avoid moving your arm, as this may interfere with the reading. If the monitor has trouble getting a reading, it may re-inflate in a minute or so to try a second time. We strongly urge you to leave the cuff on for as close to 24 hours as possible.

How tight should a blood pressure cuff be?

You should place it tight enough so that you can only slip two fingertips under the top edge of the cuff. Make sure your skin doesn't pinch when the cuff inflates. To get started, wait a moment, then press start. Remain still and quiet as the machine begins measuring.

What is petechiae rash?

Petechiae are pinpoint, round spots that appear on the skin as a result of bleeding. The bleeding causes the petechiae to appear red, brown or purple. Petechiae (puh-TEE-kee-ee) commonly appear in clusters and may look like a rash. Usually flat to the touch, petechiae don't lose color when you press on them.

Can you feel petechiae?

The rashes resemble patches of pinpoint red or purple spots, known as petechiae. These red spots may be raised or flat on the skin. They can appear anywhere on the body but are more common on the neck, arms, and legs. The petechial red spots do not typically cause any symptoms like pain or itching.

What is vascular fragility?

A measure of the resistance to rupture of the small blood vessels (capillaries), which leads to leakage of red blood cells into tissue spaces.

Why is the ulnar nerve more vulnerable to injury?

The ulnar nerve is more vulnerable to injury because of its superficial path along the medial aspect of the elbow.

What is the most common cause of nerve damage in anesthesia?

Malposition is the most cited cause of the brachial plexus and ulnar nerve injuries, whereas radial nerve damage, because of its topography, is rarely reported. 1

What nerve is most commonly injured during anesthesia?

2 reported that 16% of insurance claims (670 out of 4,183) in the United States that were for nerve injuries related to anesthesia. The ulnar nerve is the most commonly injured (28%) nerve whereas the radial nerve is less frequently affected (3%). The mechanisms of injury were attributed to preoperative trauma, surgical procedure, axillary block, and malposition. The ulnar nerve is more vulnerable to injury because of its superficial path along the medial aspect of the elbow. It can be easily compressed between the medial epicondyle and the sharp edge of the operating room table, while the radial nerve is located deeper and thus topographically better protected by muscle. Nevertheless, we report a case of radial nerve injury after a surgical operation. The radial nerve courses on the posterior aspect of the humerus. Damage can occur by malpositioning the posterior part of the humerus on the edge of the table or a hard material, thereby stretching or compressing the nerves, resulting in ischemia of the vasa nervorum leading to neuropathy. It can also be injured by trauma during IV injection of drugs, insertion of an arterial catheter, or during a cut-down procedure on an adjacent vein. 3, 4 The above-mentioned causes can be ruled out in our patient since his left upper extremity was outstretched and positioned on the padded arm boards, and no IV or arterial catheter was inserted. A partial brachial plexus nerve injury due to excessive abduction was not likely either because the left upper extremity was abducted only 85 degrees. Neither was there any other form of external compression applied to the left arm. The nerve injury was confirmed by a conduction block distal to the spiral groove of the humerus, which was the level of upper extremity where the BP cuff was affixed, indicating that the injury was probably produced by the BP measurements.

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