title: The femoral gateway.
abstract: A patient who abused cocaine intravenously had an abscess in the groin, which healed to form a sinus tract leading directly to the wall of the femoral vein. She used this "gateway" as her primary means of venous access for the next 5 years. It was both "painless and brainless" and led to femoral vein thrombosis and sepsis. This is the second reported case of such a unique means of venous access.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Cauchi
authors.forename: Viral V
authors.initials: VV
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verghese
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005268:Femoral Vein; D006801:Humans; D010406:Penicillins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018805:Sepsis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D020246:Venous Thrombosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000925:Anticoagulants; D010406:Penicillins