Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery
Volume 63, Issue 3 , Pages e253-e254, March 2010

Cardiac arrest following hydrogen peroxide irrigation of a breast wound

  • C. Beattie

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anaesthesia, St John's Hospital, Howden, West Lothian, EH54 6PP, UK
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. C/o Department of Anaesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Old Dalkeith Road, Edinburgh, EH16 4SA, UK. Tel.: +44 131 242 3224; fax: +44 131 242 3225.
    • ,
  • L.E. Harry

      Affiliations

    • Department of Plastic Surgery, St John's Hospital, Howden, West Lothian, EH54 6PP, UK
    • ,
  • S.A. Hamilton

      Affiliations

    • Department of Plastic Surgery, St John's Hospital, Howden, West Lothian, EH54 6PP, UK
    • ,
  • D. Burke

      Affiliations

    • Department of Anaesthesia, St John's Hospital, Howden, West Lothian, EH54 6PP, UK

Received 4 June 2009; accepted 8 July 2009. published online 27 July 2009.

Summary 

Hydrogen peroxide is commonly used for the decontamination of wounds.1 We report a case of a probable venous oxygen embolism resulting in cardiovascular collapse following irrigation of a necrotic breast wound with hydrogen peroxide. We discuss the differential diagnosis, mechanism of oxygen embolism and question the relative advantages versus disadvantages of using hydrogen peroxide for wound decontamination.

Keywords: Hydrogen peroxide, Contaminated wound, Lavage, Venous oxygen embolism

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PII: S1748-6815(09)00523-3

doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2009.07.012

Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery
Volume 63, Issue 3 , Pages e253-e254, March 2010

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