Deep neck abscesses secondary to methylphenidate (Ritalin) abuse

✍ Scribed by Zemplenyi, Jan ;Colman, Marc F.

• Book ID: 102234208
• Publisher: Wiley (John Wiley & Sons)
• Year: 1984
• Weight: 317 KB
• Volume: 6
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0148-6403
• DOI: 10.1002/hed.2890060409

✦ Synopsis

Methylphenidate (Ritalin) abuse has been and continues to be a major medical and social problem. In the past 6 months, we have seen five deep neck abscesses secondary to intravenous Ritalin abuse. This constitutes more than 50% of the deep neck abscesses seen by u s in the same time period. The pathogenesis is related to an inflammatory foreign-body reaction to the fillers in the methylphenidate tablets, followed by superinfection by oral or cutaneous flora. Mixed flora infections with weakly pathogenic organisms may also occur.