Bs. Clark et al., ACCIDENTAL INTRAMUSCULAR VINCRISTINE - LACK OF UNTOWARD EFFECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT, Medical and pediatric oncology, 28(4), 1997, pp. 314-315
Vincristine was inadvertently injected into a thigh of three children.
In each case the accident occurred as a result of the mixing of a syr
inge containing vincristine with a syringe of L-asparaginase which the
patient was scheduled to receive on the same day. Within minutes, eac
h patient was treated topically with cold compresses and the area was
infiltrated with a solution of 8.4% sodium bicarbonate. Only one patie
nt had discomfort of the thigh after the injection, none of the patien
ts have had any sequelae, either acute or delayed. Measures to avoid m
istaken injection of vincristine for asparaginase are readily achievab
le and have prevented recurrences of intramuscular vincristine adminis
tration at the institutions where they have been implemented. Nonethel
ess, other instances of intramuscular vincristine injection are antici
pated and should be rapidly recognized and quickly managed with local
applications of cold and sodium bicarbonate. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.