High-pressure injection injury: Difference between revisions

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==Background==
==Background==
*Surgical emergency
*Surgical emergency (Amputation rates are as high as 30%)
**Amputation rates are as high as 30%
*Occurs with grease, paint, and fuel guns; usually injected into non-dominant hand
*Occurs with grease, paint, and fuel guns; usually injected into non-dominant hand
*Most important factor is type of injected material
*Most important factor is type of injected material
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==Evaluation==
==Evaluation==
*Usually clinical
*Clinical diagnosis
*Consider X-ray
*Consider X-ray (may show extent of injection of radiopaque substances)
**May show extent of injection of radiopaque substances


==Management==
==Management==
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*Emergent ortho/hand surgeon consult
*Emergent ortho/hand surgeon consult
**Early surgical decompression and debridement
**Early surgical decompression and debridement
**>10hours to OR with increased amp rates
**Increased rate of amputation if >10 hours to OR
*[[Tetanus]]
*[[Tetanus]]
*[[Antibiotics]]
*[[Antibiotics]]
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==Disposition==
==Disposition==
*Admission
*Admit


==See Also==
==See Also==

Revision as of 05:27, 4 July 2017

Background

  • Surgical emergency (Amputation rates are as high as 30%)
  • Occurs with grease, paint, and fuel guns; usually injected into non-dominant hand
  • Most important factor is type of injected material
    • Paint produces large, early inflammatory response with high rate of amputation
    • Grease causes small inflammatory response with lower rate of amputation

Clinical Features

  • Most frequently in hand/fingers
  • Benign appearance of small injection site in immediate post-injection period is misleading
    • With time digit becomes edematous, pale, and severely tender to palpation

Differential Diagnosis

Hand and finger injuries

Evaluation

  • Clinical diagnosis
  • Consider X-ray (may show extent of injection of radiopaque substances)

Management

  • Splint and Elevate
  • Emergent ortho/hand surgeon consult
    • Early surgical decompression and debridement
    • Increased rate of amputation if >10 hours to OR
  • Tetanus
  • Antibiotics
  • Analgesia
    • Digital blocks are contraindicated as wound already under high pressure

Disposition

  • Admit

See Also

References