Motor-scooter handlebar syndrome: blunt traumatic injury of the femoral artery.

We present a case of "motor-scooter handlebar syndrome," i.e., intimal injury to the common femoral artery caused by a direct blow from a motorcycle handlebar, and review other potential mechanisms for similar arterial injuries. Our case is unique in that a clinical diagnosis was made before vascular studies or arterial occlusion. The mechanism of injury combined with physical examination findings of localized swelling, tenderness, and an overlying bruit prompted early heparinization with subsequent radiographic studies and surgical repair.