Acute ischemia of the upper limb is a complication of intravenous drug abuse due to accidental puncture of the arterial tree. The authors report a suc cessfully treated case of hand ischemia in a heroin addict. Anticoagulant and fibrinolytic therapy appeared to be effective treatment of this type of arterial thrombosis.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Begg EJ, McGrath MA, Wade DN: Inadvertant intraarterial injection—A problem of drug abuse. Med J Austr15:561-563, 1980.
2.
Gaspar AJ, Berguer R.: Gangrene due to intra-arterial injection in drug addicts. Surgery72:573-577, 1972.
3.
Hawkins LG, Lischer CG, Sweeney M.: The main-line accidental intra-arterial drug injection. Clin Orthop94:268-274, 1973.
4.
Maxwell TM, Olcott C.IV, Blaisdell FW: Vascular complications of drug abuse. Arch Surg105:875-882, 1972.
5.
Wright CB, Geelhoed GW, Hobson RW: Acute vascular insufficiency due to drugs of abuse. In: Rutherford RB Vascular Surgery, ed. 2, ed. by RutherfordPhiladelphia, WB Saunders:451-460, 1984.
6.
Yeager RA, Hobson RW III, Padberg FT, et al: Vascular complications related to drug abuse. J Trauma27:305-308, 1987.
7.
Goldberg I., Bahar A., Yosipovitch Z.: Gangrene of the upper extremity following intra-arterial injection of drugs—A case report and review of the literature. Clin Orthop188:223-229, 1984.
8.
Feldman AJ, Berguer R.: Management of an infected aneurysm of the groin secondary to drug abuse. Surg Gynecol Obstet157:519-522, 1983.
9.
Ritland D., Butterfield W.: Extremity complications of drug abuse. Am J Surg126:639-648, 1973.
10.
Lau J., Mattox KL, DeBakey ME: Mycotic aneurysm of the inferior mesenteric artery. Am J Surg138:443-445, 1979.
11.
Cohen M.: Accidental intra-arterial injection of drugs. Lancet2:361-371, 1948.
12.
Van Der PostCWH: A case of mistaken injection of Pentothal into an aberrtant ulnar artery . S Afr Med J16:182, 1942.
13.
Becquemin JP , Etienne G., Schaeffer A.: Ischemie aigue des membres et toxicomanie . J Mal Vasc11:35-38, 1986.
14.
Gagnon R.: Superficial arteries of the cubital fossa with reference to accidental intra-arterial injections. Can J Surg9:57-65, 1966.
15.
Pearlman HS , Wollowick BS, Alvarez EV: Intra-arterial injection of propoxyphene into brachial artery. JAMA214:2055-2057, 1970.
Greif F., Cohen N., Weiss J., et al: Ischemia of the hand due to intraarterial injection of dissolved Methadone tablets. Israel J Med Sci23:1166-1168, 1987.
18.
Waters DJ: Intra-arterial thiopentone, a physicochemical phenomenon. Anaesthesia21:346-356, 1966.
19.
Lloyd WK, Porter JM, Lindell TD, et al: Accidental intra-arterial injection in drug abuse. Am J Roentgenol117:892-895, 1973.
20.
Bum JH, Hobbs R.: Mechanism of arterial spasm following intra-arterial injection of thiopentone . Lancet1:1112-1115, 1959 .
21.
Ryan YJ, Hoopes JE, Jabeley ME: Drug injection injuries of the hand and forearm in addicts. Plast Reconstr Surg531:445-451, 1974.
