Tattoo-Related Brachial Plexopathies with Adjacent Muscle Atrophy
Authors: Israel Steiner
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2000)

Letters18 July 2000Tattoo-Related Brachial Plexopathies with Adjacent Muscle AtrophyIsrael Steiner, MD, Peter Farcas, MD, and Itzhak Wirguin, MDIsrael Steiner, MDHadassah University Hospital; Jerusalem 91120, Israel (Steiner)Soroka Medical Center; Beer-Sheva, Israel (Farcas, Wirguin)Search for more papers by this author, Peter Farcas, MDHadassah University Hospital; Jerusalem 91120, Israel (Steiner)Soroka Medical Center; Beer-Sheva, Israel (Farcas, Wirguin)Search for more papers by this author, and Itzhak Wirguin, MDHadassah University Hospital; Jerusalem 91120, Israel (Steiner)Soroka Medical Center; Beer-Sheva, Israel (Farcas, Wirguin)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-133-2-200007180-00017 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:In recent years, tattoos have become increasingly popular among young people. However, tattoos may cause medical complications that are seldom recognized or considered when the decision to get a tattoo is made. In the past 2 years, we encountered three patients with chronic atrophy of muscles adjacent to tattoos on the upper-limb girdle area, indicating a possible complication of tattooing. Each patient received his tattoo at a different parlor.A 17-year-old, previously healthy athletic male developed right shoulder pain and weakness 4 months after receiving a green and red tattoo of a gnome on his right scapular ...References1. Masson P, Rigot A, Cecile W. Brachial plexus neuropathy following pyogenic cervical adenophlegmon. Arch Pediatr. 1994;1:735-7. MedlineGoogle Scholar2. Beghi E, Kurland LT, Mulder DW, Nicolosi A. Brachial plexus neuropathy in the population of Rochester, Minnesota, 1970-1981. Ann Neurol. 1985;18:320-3. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Schwartz RA, Mathias CG, Miller CH, Rojas-Corona R, Lambert WC. Granulomatous reaction to purple tattoo pigment. Contact Dermatitis. 1987;16:198-202. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Lane KL, Vallera R, Washington K, Gottfried MR. Endoscopic tattoo agents in the colon. Tissue responses and clinical implications. Am J Surg Pathol. 1996;20:1266-70. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Israel Steiner, MD; Peter Farcas, MD; Itzhak Wirguin, MDAffiliations: Hadassah University Hospital; Jerusalem 91120, Israel (Steiner)Soroka Medical Center; Beer-Sheva, Israel (Farcas, Wirguin) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoTattoo-Related Brachial Plexopathies with Adjacent Muscle Atrophy Jeffrey John Post Tattoo-Related Brachial Plexopathies with Adjacent Muscle Atrophy Israel Steiner and Itzhak Wirguin Metrics Cited byTattoos among athletes: a matter of concern?Systemic diseases and infections, anecdotal complications and oddities associated with tattooingLes tatouages chez le sportif : risques et mythesThe need for an epidural “window of opportunity” in pregnant women with a lumbar tattooTattooing and various piercing: anaesthetic considerationsTatouage et anesthésieEpidural anesthesia in three parturients with lumbar tattoos: a review of possible implicationsTattoo-Related Brachial Plexopathies with Adjacent Muscle AtrophyJeffrey John Post, MBBS, FRACP 18 July 2000Volume 133, Issue 2Page: 158-159KeywordsAtrophyElectromyographyElectrophysiological techniquesMusclesMyalgiaNervesReflexesShouldersSportsTendons ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 18 July 2000 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2000 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...