Arch Plast Surg.  2012 Jul;39(4):412-416. 10.5999/aps.2012.39.4.412.

A Retrospective Review of Iatrogenic Skin and Soft Tissue Injuries

• Lee TG
• Chung S
• Chung YK

• KMID: 2120697
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5999/aps.2012.39.4.412

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Even though the quality of medical and surgical care has improved remarkably over time, iatrogenic injuries that require surgical treatment including injuries caused by cast and elastic bandage pressure, extravasation, and dopamine-induced ischemia still frequently occur. The goal of this study was to estimate the incidence and analyze the distribution of iatrogenic injuries referred to our department.
METHODS
A retrospective clinical review was performed from April 2006 to November 2010. In total, 196 patients (116 females and 80 males) were referred to the plastic surgery department for the treatment of iatrogenic injuries. We analyzed the types and anatomic locations of iatrogenic complications, along with therapeutic results.
RESULTS
An extravasation injury (65 cases, 37.4%) was the most common iatrogenic complication in our study sample, followed by splint-induced skin ulceration, dopamine-induced necrosis, prefabricated pneumatic walking brace-related wounds and elastic bandage-induced wounds. Among these, prefabricated pneumatic walking brace-related complication incidence increased the most during the 5-year study period.
CONCLUSIONS
The awareness of the very common iatrogenic complications and its causes may allow physicians to reduce their occurrence and allow for earlier detection and referral to a plastic surgeon. We believe this is the first study to analyze iatrogenic complications referred to a plastic surgery department in a hospital unit.

Keyword

Extravasation of diagnostic and therapeutic materials; Medical errors; Pressure sore

MeSH Terms

Compression Bandages
Extravasation of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Materials
Female
Hospital Units
Humans
Incidence
Ischemia
Medical Errors
Necrosis
Pressure Ulcer
Referral and Consultation
Retrospective Studies
Skin
Skin Ulcer
Soft Tissue Injuries
Surgery, Plastic
Walking