Pediatr. praxi 2018; 19(5): 286-289 | DOI: 10.36290/ped.2018.057

An unusual cause of the absence of femoral artery pulsation in a newborn

MUDr. Magdalena Čadová¹, MUDr. Alice Mocková, Ph.D.¹, doc. MUDr. Jiří Dort, Ph.D.¹, MUDr. Michal Huml, Ph.D.², MUDr. Ing. Tomáš Votava², MUDr. Renata Vondráková³, MUDr. Miloš Černý⁴, MUDr. Radek Pádr⁵

¹ Neonatologické oddělení Fakultní nemocnice Plzeň

² Dětská klinika Fakultní nemocnice Plzeň

³ Klinika zobrazovacích metod Fakultní nemocnice Plzeň

⁴ Neonatologické oddělení Fakultní nemocnice v Motole, Praha

⁵ Klinika zobrazovacích metod 2. LF UK a Fakultní nemocnice v Motole, Praha

The assessment of peripheral arterial pulsation and peripheral perfusion is an important part of physical examination in infants. Itis also necessary to compare the character of the pulse amplitude on the upper limbs (palpation of the brachial or radial arteries)and on the lower limbs (palpation of the femoral arteries). If the pulsation of femoral arteries is weakened or delayed in neonatalperiod or in early infancy, a heart defect – coarctation of the aorta – has to be ruled out first. The absence of femoral artery pulsationmay also be caused by other pathologies, including congenital vascular malformations in the aortoiliac region, compressionof blood vessels by an extravascular mass (tumour, cyst) and thrombosis.

Keywords: femoral artery pulsation, coarctation of the aorta, thrombosis, newborn

Published: October 25, 2018  Show citation