What Researchers Did
Researchers retrospectively analyzed the medical records of four patients with Nicolau syndrome who received hyperbaric oxygen treatment following intramuscular injections over a 10-year period.
What They Found
Four patients with Nicolau syndrome were included, three adults who received diclofenac sodium and one child who received penicillin via intramuscular injection. The time from diagnosis or injection to hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) ranged from five to 33 days. HBOT appeared beneficial for healing when combined with other therapeutic approaches.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients receiving intramuscular injections should be aware of Nicolau syndrome as an extremely rare but serious complication. For those affected, hyperbaric oxygen treatment, when combined with other therapies, may offer a beneficial adjunctive treatment option.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
This study is limited by its retrospective design and small sample size of only four patients, making it difficult to draw definitive conclusions.