[Compartment syndrome of the forearm after intra-arterial self-injection : With a mixture of methadone, flunitrazepam, saliva and water].

A drug-addicted patient injected himself intra-arterially with a mixture of methadone, flunitrazepam, saliva and water. The resulting compartment syndrome could be treated by fasciotomy and multiple debridement, with which a major amputation could be prevented. The course of the treatment and the resulting functional results are described, as well as a brief overview of the literature and a treatment proposal for similar cases.