title: Perforation of the hard palate associated with cocaine abuse.
abstract: Cocaine abuse is associated with serious systemic complications. Snorting cocaine can also cause complications of the nasopharyngeal structures. Repeated episodes of vasoconstriction and subsequent ischemia may cause this destruction. We present a patient with perforation of the nasal septum and palate and collapse of the nasal dorsum. The destroyed anatomy was reconstructed by using standard surgical techniques. Palatal destruction is a rare entity and, to our knowledge, this patient is the first reported patient with palatal destruction due to cocaine insufflation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, NY 10032.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mattson-Gates
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Jabs
authors.forename: N E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Hugo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003042:Cocaine; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009667:Nose Deformities, Acquired / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010159:Palate / Q000293:injuries* / Q000601:surgery*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D003042:Cocaine