Pentazocine abuse. Report of a case with pulmonary arterial cellulose granulomas and pulmonary hypertension.

We report a patient who developed pulmonary hypertension following repeated intravenous injection of dissolved pentazocine tablets. Through analysis of lung biopsy material, this was shown to be due to embolization of the cellulose filler in the tablet and the tissue reaction it produced. Administration of prednisone appeared to improve the patient's clinical state.