Hematoma Blocks
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þ Danger of Infection?
 - One prospective study examined the risk of osteomyelitis in 132 patients
   who had had a distal radius fracture reduced under a haematoma block,
   compared with a control group of 100 patients who received general or
   intravenous regional anaesthesia, and found no cases of osteomyelitis in
   either group. The author concluded: "If appropriate precautions are taken,
   haematoma block does not increase the risk of infection." (1) The only
   problem I found was a report of suspected compartment syndrome following
   the use of the haematoma block.(2) (1) Johnson PQ,: Hematoma block of
   distal forearm fractures. Is it safe? Orth review, MEDLINE Citation:
   20(11):97; ISSN 0094-6591 (2) Younge, D: Haematoma block for fractures of
   the wrist: a cause of compartment syndrome. J.Hand Surg., 14-B: 194-195,
   1989
   --David Gollogly