Abstract
Objective: Parenteral drug injection can cause a wide range of vascular complications, from simple vascular irritation to severe infections, thrombosis and pseudo-aneurysm formation. These latter complications may become limb-or even life-threatening.
Patients and methods: This is a retrospective descriptive study of cases admitted to the Shohada Medical Centre, between March 1990 and June 2005.
Results: A total of 134 drug addicts presenting with infected femoral artery pseudo-aneurysms were treated. All patients had their femoral arteries ligated. Limbs of all 134 patients were saved.
Conclusions: Ligating the femoral artery is an effective way to treat femoral artery pseudo-aneurysm, secondary to drug abuse.
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S.R. Mousavi
S. R. Mousavi Department of General and Vascular Surgery Shohada Medical Centre Shahidbeheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran E-mail: [email protected]