title: Good clinical outcome after accidental intra-arterial injection of flunitrazepam tablets in 16 drug abusers with critical limb ischaemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Inadvertent intra-arterial injection of flunitrazepam tablets intended for intravenous use by drug abusers has devastating effects. We report here on the clinical outcome of 16 drug abusers developing critical limb ischaemia after flunitrazepam injection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Treatment combined immediate analgesia and anticoagulation, long-lasting local thrombolysis and vasodilatation, antibiotic prophylaxis, and physical mobilization. The immediate bolus injection of 5,000 IU heparin was followed by a continuous heparin infusion up to the target partial thromboplastin time. Under arteriographic control local intra-arterial infusion with alternating 4-h cycles of 5 mg recombinant tissue plasminogen activator followed by 5 μg prostaglandinE1 (PGE1) was performed for 24-48 hours. Subsequently, 60 μg PGE1 was applied once daily.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Drug abusers, having been injected with 4-30 mg flunitrazepam, were treated 3-72 hours after the accident, with six of them not being treated until after 24 hours. All showed a high tissue ischaemia score. At the time of being discharged from hospital 13 patients had a normal extremity. In one patient, first receiving treatment 72 hours after injection, minor amputation of fingers was necessary. The life of the patient who injected 30 mg flunitrazepam in the leg was saved after hip disarticulation. One patient developed neurological dysfunction in the affected toes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intensive treatment after inadvertent intra-arterial drug injection normalized the affected extremity in most drug abusers, even after the late onset of therapy.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Vascular Surgery, Diakonissen-Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany; Department of Surgery, Clinic of Visceral, Transplantation, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rohm
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Vascular Surgery, Diakonissen-Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Staab
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Clinic of Visceral, Transplantation, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schulz
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Vascular Surgery, Diakonissen-Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Clinic of Visceral, Transplantation, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address: gabriela.aust@medizin.uni-leipzig.de.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aust
mesh_terms: D000059:Accidents; D000328:Adult; D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016638:Critical Illness; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D055030:Drug Users; D005121:Extremities / Q000098:blood supply*; D005260:Female; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005445:Flunitrazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007269:Injections, Intra-Arterial; D007511:Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D023821:Limb Salvage; D008297:Male; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015819:Substance Abuse, Intravenous; D013997:Time Factors; D061665:Time-to-Treatment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000925:Anticoagulants; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D018757:GABA Modulators; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D005445:Flunitrazepam
keywords: Drug abuse; Flunitrazepam; Intra-arterial injection; Local thrombolysis; Prostaglandin E1