[Embolia cutis medicamentosa (author's transl)].

A rare secondary effect of intramuscular injections is reported in three own observations: This embolia cutis medicamentosa has been relatively often found in former times as result of bismuthe and mercury injections during lues therapy and today is only occasionally found, especially after intramuscular injections of phenylbutazone-containing antirheumatics. The question is discussed whether this medicamental embolism is really due to an embolic occlusion of small skin arteries. The typical clinical picture of the infarct-resembling skin necrosis in livid skin area could also be explained by vessel necrosis or thrombosis in the site of injection itself.