High pressure injection injury

A grease gun injury or injection injury is an injury caused by high-pressure injection of oil, grease, solvents, water, or even air, into the body.[1] The most common causes are accidents with grease guns, paint sprayers, and pressure washers, but pinhole leaks in pressurized hydraulic lines occasionally cause this injury. Additionally, there is at least one known case of deliberate self-injection with a grease gun.[2]

Although the initial wound often seems minor, the unseen, internal damage can be severe. With hydraulic fluids, paint, and detergents, these injuries are extremely serious as most hydraulic fluids and organic solvents are highly toxic. Delay in surgical treatment often leads to amputations or death.[1] But even with pure water or air, these injuries cause compartment syndrome which leads to cell death if surgical intervention is delayed.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Verhoeven, N; Hierner, R (April 2008). "High-pressure injection injury of the hand: an often underestimated trauma: case report with study of the literature.". Strategies in trauma and limb reconstruction (Online) 3 (1): 27–33. doi:10.1007/s11751-008-0029-9. PMC 2291478. PMID 18427921.
  2. ↑ Kalsi, JS; Arya, M; Peters, J; Minhas, S; Ralph, DJ (May 2002). "Grease-gun injury to the penis.". Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine 95 (5): 254. doi:10.1258/jrsm.95.5.254. PMC 1279682. PMID 11983770.

External links


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