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Rodney K. Kusumi, MD; Joseph F. Plouffe, MD

JAMA. 1981;246(6):679-680.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

History

An emotionally disturbed 18-year-old diabetic woman was admitted to the hospital because of a "sore" on her right forearm of ten days' duration, for which she had been taking erythromycin estolate orally in addition to local cleansing of the infected area with hydrogen peroxide. Physical examination showed a 3x3-cm noninflamed ulcer on the volar aspect of the right forearm. Crepitation was detected along the right upper extremity. Vital signs were normal.

A roentgenogram of the right forearm demonstrated the typical stigmata of gas in the soft tissues of the forearm. A metallic foreign body suggesting the tip of a needle is observed in the soft tissues near the wrist (Figure).

Diagnosis

Gas in soft tissues of forearm due to self-injection of air.

Comment

The patient had a history of psychiatric problems. Although she irrigated her wound of the forearm with hydrogen peroxide, she admitted to injecting air into the . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
From the University Hospital (Dr Kusumi) and Division of Infectious Diseases (Dr Plouffe), The Ohio State University, Columbus.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to N-1145 University Hospital, 410 W Tenth Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 (Dr Kusumi).

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