[Puffy hand syndrome]

Rev Med Interne. 2009 May;30(5):460-4. doi: 10.1016/j.revmed.2008.11.011. Epub 2009 Feb 11.
[Article in French]

Abstract

Puffy hand syndrome is an unrecognized complication of intravenous drug abuse. This painless syndrome appears during or after a long period of drug addiction. It involves the hands and sometimes the forearms, and may cause functional, aesthetic and social disturbances when the hand volume is important. Physiopathological mechanisms of the puffy hand syndrome are unclear and include venous and lymphatic insufficiencies, infectious complications and direct toxicity of injected drugs and their adulterants. Low-stretch bandage and elastic garment, usually used in lymphedema treatment, are proposed to treat the puffy hand syndrome.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Bandages
  • Cocaine-Related Disorders / complications
  • Evidence-Based Medicine
  • Hand* / pathology
  • Humans
  • Lymphedema / chemically induced*
  • Lymphedema / diagnosis
  • Lymphedema / physiopathology
  • Lymphedema / therapy
  • Opioid-Related Disorders / complications
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / complications*
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / diagnosis
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / physiopathology
  • Substance Abuse, Intravenous / therapy
  • Syndrome