title: Acute arterial spasm in an extremity caused by inadvertent intra-arterial injection successfully treated in the emergency department.
abstract: We present a case of limb ischemia in a young man. For acute alcohol withdrawal, this patient was given chlordiazepoxide (Librium) through an angiocatheter inadvertently placed into a brachial arterial line. This caused severe spasm of the brachial artery and its branches. These findings were confirmed by angiography. Successful treatment occurred with intra-arterial papaverin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arquilla
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gernshiemer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000430:Alcohol Withdrawal Delirium / Q000188:drug therapy; D000792:Angiography; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001132:Arm / Q000098:blood supply*; D001916:Brachial Artery; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D007049:Iatrogenic Disease; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D010208:Papaverine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013035:Spasm / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D002707:Chlordiazepoxide; D010208:Papaverine