Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and fluorescence angiography in arterial insufficiency secondary to injection of crushed hydromorphone.

What Researchers Did

Researchers presented a case report of a 37-year-old male with upper extremity arterial insufficiency due to intra-arterial injection of crushed hydromorphone, treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

What They Found

Angiography revealed incomplete distal filling of several arteries in the left hand. After hyperbaric oxygen therapy, fluorescence angiography showed improved perfusion, leading to increased tissue salvage despite a subsequent partial amputation of the left second digit and removal of thenar and third finger pads.

Canadian Relevance

This study has no direct Canadian connection as it is a case report from outside Canada.

Study Limitations

As a single case report, the findings cannot be generalized to a larger patient population.