Crural Amputation of a Newborn as a Consequence of Intraosseous Needle Insertion and Calcium Infusion

Intraosseous needle insertion and infusion is considered an easy and reliable method of achieving a vascular access in acute circulatory collapse where other methods have not been successful within reasonable time. Complications are considered few but may be serious. We present a case of a newborn girl, where intraosseous cannulation of the tibia was lifesaving. Despite following most standard recommendations, the treatment resulted in transtibial amputation due to necrosis. We suspect that the necrosis was a consequence of extravasation of tissue-toxic calcium infusion.