1887
Volume 2005, Issue 2
  • ISSN: 0253-8253
  • EISSN: 2227-0426

Abstract

Muscle and peripheral nerve disorders are important complications in intravenous heroin abusers. Rhabdomyolysis and acute lumbosacral plexopathy are important in the differential diagnosis of patients developing muscle weakness in an intensive care unit after intravenous overdoses of heroin. A 25-year-old man developed rhabdomyolysis with neuromuscular involvement, and consistent clinical and electrodiagnostic features of lumbar plexus neuropathy after an intravenous injection of heroin. The improvement occured slowly, over months, in spite of intensive physiotherapy.

Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.5339/qmj.2005.2.20
2005-11-01
2024-11-12
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Ashley R, ed. Heroin. New York: St Martins Press 1972:p.54.
    [Google Scholar]
  2. Pearson J, Richter RW. Addiction to opiates: Neurologic aspects. Intoxications of the nervous system, Part 111 In: Vinkin PJBrugn G, eds. Handbook of Clinical Neurology. Vol 37. North Holland: Amesterdam 1979;:365.
    [Google Scholar]
  3. Finelli PF, Taylor GW. unusual injection neuropathy in heroin addict: Case report. Milit Med. 1977; 142::704.
    [Google Scholar]
  4. Hall JH, Karp RH. Acute progressive ventral pontine disease in heroin abuse. Neurology. 1973; 23::6.
    [Google Scholar]
  5. Walter GB, Robert BD, Gerald MF. Neurology in clinical practice, the Neurological disorders. In: David MC, ed. Disorder of peripheral nerves. 2nd 1996;:19401952.
    [Google Scholar]
  6. Diaz GJ, Pastor VC, Gil GR, et al., Rhabdomyolysis and lumbosacral plexopathy in intravenous drug addict: Report of a case. An Med interna. 1996 Feb; 13:2:8486.
    [Google Scholar]
  7. Ropper AH, Wijdicks EFM, Truax BT. Guillain Barre’ syndrome. Philadelhia: F.A. Davis 1991.
    [Google Scholar]
  8. Bolton CF, Gilbert JJ, Hahn AF, Sibbald WJ. Polyneuropathy in critically ill patients. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1984; 47::12231231.
    [Google Scholar]
  9. Zochodone DW, Bolton CF, Wells GA, et al., Critical illness polyneuropathy: A complication of sepsis and multiple organ failure. Brain. 1987; 110::819841.
    [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.5339/qmj.2005.2.20
Loading
  • Article Type: Case Report
Keyword(s): ComplicationsDiacetylmorphinePlexopathy and substance abuse
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error