[Surgical treatment of extravasation injuries]

Extravasations account for most iatrogenic injuries. The aim of the study was to analyse the results of surgery in patients with extravasations and to draw conclusions for future treatment.

24 patients with soft-tissue defects after extravasations were treated between 1999 and 2009 in our hospital. The cases were analysed retrospectively. We looked at the drugs causing tissue necrosis and the localisation in relation to the number of interventions and reconstruction complexity.

In 83 % (n = 20) of cases tissue necrosis was caused by chemotherapeutic agents, in 8 % (n = 2) by contrast mediums and in 4 % (n = 1) by antibiotics and insulin. 70 % of the cases involved the upper extremity, in 30 % the thoracic wall was affected. 38 % of the extravasations occurred over venous access ports. In mean 2 ± 1.5 interventions were necessary for defect coverage. Two patients died as a direct result of the extravasations, one due to sepsis originating from an infected necrosis area and one due to right-heart failure with prior pulmonary damage.

Most extravasations can be treated without surgery. In cases of toxic extravasations or pressure-caused ischaemia rapid surgical intervention is necessary to prevent the necrosis progressing to deeper tissue layers.