CRITICAL LIMB ISCHEMIA AFTER ACCIDENTAL SUBCUTANEOUS INFUSION OF SULPROSTONE

A 34-year-old patient was treated with constant intravenous infusion o f sulprostone because of postpartum hemorrhage from a hypotonic uterus , The arm in which sulprostone had been infused was painful 23 h after infusion. A day later, the arm was found to be blueish, edematous and extremely painful as a result of arterial spasm. The vasospasm was pr obably caused by accidental subcutaneous infusion of sulprostone as a result of a displaced intravenous catheter. A diagnosis of critical li mb ischemia was made. Treatment with the prostacyclin-analogue ilopros t resulted in full recovery. Critical limb ischemia as a serious compl ication of sulprostone has not been previously reported.