title: Complicating Symmetric Peripheral Gangrene after Dopamine Therapy to Patients with Septic Shock.
abstract: Dopamine is commonly used as a first-line agent in the treatment of patients with septic shock. The use of dopamine rarely causes symmetric peripheral dry gangrene. If the symmetric peripheral dry gangrene occurs in the patient after dopamine injection, it easily leads to disagreement between doctors and patients. A 60-year-old woman who had sudden septic shock was sent to intensive care unit (ICU). She was received dopamine injection according to the routine during treatment. Over the next 3 months, her limbs developed to dry gangrene and required amputation. The result shows that the occurrence of dry gangrene could only be associated with the long-term excessive use of dopamine according to the medical records. Although dopamine is a conventional drug for the treatment of septic shock, the forensic workers and clinicians must realize that vasopressors such as dopamine have been implicated directly or as a contributory cause in dry gangrene cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Lingli
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Guangxun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
authors.forename: Xiaohong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000671:Amputation, Surgical; D004298:Dopamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005121:Extremities / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005734:Gangrene / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: doctor-patient disagreement; dopamine; forensic science; jurisprudence; septic shock; symmetric peripheral gangrene