Critical limb ischemia after accidental subcutaneous infusion of sulprostone

A 34-year-old patient was treated with constant intravenous infusion of sulprostone because of postpartum hemorrhage from a hypotonic uterus. The arm in which sulprostone had been infused was painful 23 h after infusion. A day later, the arm was found to be blueish, edematous and extremely painful as a result of arterial spasm. The vasospasm was probably caused by accidental subcutaneous infusion of sulprostone as a result of a displaced intravenous catheter. A diagnosis of critical limb ischemia was made. Treatment with the prostacyclin-analogue iloprost resulted in full recovery. Critical limb ischemia as a serious complication of sulprostone has not been previously reported.