A 4-year retrospective review of 59 consecutive upper extremity absces
ses associated with drug abuse by injection is reported. There were 57
patients, with the most common location being the forearm. All absces
ses were treated with incision, drainage, and intravenous antibiotics.
Seventeen patients required more than one debridement; nine were comp
licated by fasciitis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, or septic tenos
ynovitis. Thirty-one patients had human immunodeficiency virus testing
, and nine results were positive. Bacteriology showed the most common
organisms to be streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Eikenella co
rrodens. Nineteen percent of the abscesses had anaerobes cultured. Mos
t of the organisms cultured were common oral or skin flora.