Mimic or phantom aneurysms / by Samuel West.

  • West, Samuel Hatch, 1848-1920.
Date:
[1880]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Mimic or phantom aneurysms / by Samuel West. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    [Reprinted from St. Bartholomews Hospital Reports, Vol. XVI.] 1 s MIMIC OR PHANTOM ANEURYSMS. BY. SAMUEL WEST, M.B. My attention was directed to this affection by the case of a man who came as a patient to this Hospital, making complaint of indefinite aches and pains. On examining his chest, 1 noticed under the outer half of the left clavicle an oval pulsating tumour, above which the veins were dilated, and in which a thrill was felt and a murmur audible. The tumour was of the size of a small hen’s egg, though not quite so prominent as this might imply. The patient’s chest was examined both before a'pd after me by two students, both of whom reported nothing wrong ; and on proceeding to demonstrate what I believed to be an axillary aneurysm, I was surprised to find the tumour with the thrill and murmur gone. The patient was allowed to rest quietly for some minutes, and was then again examined. All the physical signs returned, tumour, dilated veins, thrill, and murmur ; but while under observation the tumour gradually subsided and the other physical signs decreased, until in two or three minutes all had disappeared. The experiment was repeated several times with equal success. The physical signs were, it was found, in no way affected by position of the arms, although repeated movements of the arms quickly reproduced them ; but so also did any movement, even walking with the arms hanging by the side. The signs were clearly those of temporary dilatation of the axillary artery, and the case might be described as one of mimic or phantom aneurysm. “ ri Since observing this case, I have met with several others. They are not, I believe, very rare, and probably many of the