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Transverse myelitis from intraarterial penicillin.
Neurosurgery
|October 1, 1984
Summary
Intramuscular benzathine penicillin injections can cause spinal cord transection in children. This severe complication results from inadvertent intraarterial injection, leading to paralysis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurology
- Pharmacology
- Vascular Medicine
Background:
- Benzathine penicillin is commonly administered intramuscularly for various infections.
- Proper injection technique is crucial to prevent complications.
Observation:
- A child developed sudden, irreversible spinal cord transection after an intramuscular benzathine penicillin injection.
- Biopsy confirmed intravascular injection and spinal vasculature occlusion.
Findings:
- A review of similar cases identified a pattern of intramuscular injection into small muscle masses without blood return, followed by paralysis.
- The etiological mechanism is inadvertent intraarterial injection, often unrecognized.
Implications:
- Highlights the critical need for awareness and recognition of inadvertent intraarterial injections during intramuscular procedures.
- Emphasizes the importance of meticulous injection technique to prevent catastrophic neurological damage in pediatric patients.