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The femoral gateway
Anthony A Cauchi1, Viral V Patel, Abraham Verghese
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at El Paso, El Paso, TX, USA.
Southern Medical Journal
|September 9, 2004
Summary
Intravenous cocaine abuse led to a sinus tract accessing the femoral vein, used for 5 years. This unique, risky venous access method resulted in femoral vein thrombosis and sepsis.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Infectious Disease
- Substance Abuse Research
Background:
- Intravenous drug use poses significant risks, including infections and vascular complications.
- Femoral vein access is common among intravenous drug users, often leading to complications.
Observation:
- A patient with a history of intravenous cocaine abuse developed a groin abscess.
- The abscess healed into a sinus tract that provided direct access to the femoral vein.
- This sinus tract was utilized as the primary venous access for five years.
Findings:
- The patient experienced femoral vein thrombosis and sepsis secondary to the chronic sinus tract venous access.
- This represents the second reported case of a sinus tract serving as a long-term, self-created venous access point.
Implications:
- Highlights the extreme measures some individuals resort to for venous access due to substance abuse.
- Underscores the severe, long-term vascular and infectious sequelae associated with non-traditional venous access in intravenous drug users.
- Suggests the need for comprehensive harm reduction strategies and accessible treatment for substance use disorders.