Boy we are seeing a lot more IV drug abuse lately in addition to the meth. When the IV drug users are having a hard time finding a vein, they start shooting into their neck right in the little pocket between the heads of the SCM. When they hit the jugular vein, the crushed up junk goes straight into the heart where it crashes into the heart valves and the bacteria in it grows and before you know it, they have septic endocarditis sending little abcessess everywhere including their brain. When they stick the needle in too far, they hit their carotid and get a nice little psuedoaneurysm that also gets infected and in enough time will rupture. No matter what though, they always seen to come in to the ED at about 200am. IV antibiotics, open heart for valve replacement, carotid bypass graft, craniotomy for stealth guided abcess drainages, counselling, treatment program. Back in 3 months to do it all again, priceless.
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