[Accidental intraartrial injection of diacethylmorphine (heroin) in drug addicts -- three case reports].
Accidental intrarterial injections are not uncommon in medical treatments. This is also true for uncontrolled injections by drug-addicts. Since 2002 a number of 600 heavy opiate addicts in Germany are substituted in a country-wide study with pure diacetylmorphine (Heroine). We report the course and outcome of three cases of accidental intraarterial injections of pure diacetylmorphine under controlled conditions. After initial symptoms of vasospasms, all cases were without symptoms within one hour and no obvious loss of tissue was observed. After discussing the literature about medical literature and treatment options in intraarterial injections it is concluded, that the cause of major complications after intraarterial injections may not be the pure diacetylmorphine but additional substances in impure "street-heroin" samples.
Abteilung Klinische Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover. dr.passie@gmx.de
T
T
Passie
C
C
Metzner
J
J
Seifert
M
M
Zedler
U
U
Schneider
H M
HM
Emrich
M
M
Karst
D000328:Adult; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications; D003932:Heroin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000506:poisoning*; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male
D003932:Heroin