Crush Syndrome after Drugs (Cont.)

To the Editor: The occurrence of acute renal failure after limb compression and drug abuse was reported by Schrieber et al. (N Engl J Med 284:368–369, 1971). However, all their cases, as well as one reported in a letter to the Editor by LaForce, involved limb compression. We have recently observed a similar case in which the muscle injury occurred in an isolated muscle group of the buttock and the extremity was not injured primarily.A 21-year-old soldier apparently consumed a large quantity of alcohol and "snorted" red-rock heroin about 20 to 24 hours before admission. He was taken to . . .