Fatal Anaphylactic Reaction to  Intramuscular Diclofenac Sodium

Dr. Dushyant Mansukhlal Sankalia; Dr. Denish V. Rojivadia; DR. Kishor D. Kharche

Volume : II, Issue : VI, June - 2013

Fatal Anaphylactic Reaction to Intramuscular Diclofenac Sodium

Dr. Dushyant Mansukhlal Sankalia, Dr. Denish V. Rojivadia, Dr. Kishor D. Kharche

Abstract :

Diclofenac sodium is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug widely used as an analgesic and anti inflammatory drug on OPD basis as well as self medication. We present a case of hypoxic ain damage that occurred after intramuscular injection of diclofenac due to a severe anaphylactic reaction. A 23 year old male patient treated for bodyache with 50 mg diclofenac intramuscularly. Twenty minutes later, he collapsed and developed coma and cardio respiratory arrest. After cardiopulmonary resuscitation he was reverted and put on ventilator support .Throughout his admission period he was comatose and received controlled ventilation of the lungs. Magnetic resonance imaging of ain showed signs of hypoxic ain injury and the patient died from central cardiopulmonary failure 16 days later. Intramuscular treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as diclofenac has rare but potentially severe side-effects. Therefore, intramuscular injections are inappropriate and should be replaced with oral or rectal treatment, which has similar absorption profiles. The rare and fatal adverse reaction of most commonly used drug prompted us to report this case.