1. Puffy Hand Syndrome: What Plastic Surgeons Need to Know.
- Author
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Bethea, Joseph P., Cai, Sunny R., Peine, Brandon, Mendes, Jesse O., Zeri, Richard S., and Kachare, Swapnil D.
- Subjects
PLASTIC surgeons ,CELLULITIS ,SYNDROMES ,INTRAVENOUS drug abuse ,HAND injuries ,SOFT tissue infections - Abstract
Puffy Hand Syndrome is a complication of intravenous (IV) drug abuse that causes swelling and edema in the hands. It was first described in prisoners in New York in 1965 and can affect up to 16% of IV drug users. The syndrome is characterized by non-pitting or minimally pitting edema, affecting the dorsal surface of the fingers and hands, and can progress to permanent swelling. The exact cause is not fully understood, but it is believed to be due to the sclerosing of the superficial venous system and lymphatics from IV injections of irritants commonly found in street drugs. There are currently no known medical or surgical treatments to reverse the swelling, and management focuses on symptomatic relief through elevation and compression. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2024