RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Unusual complication of a tattoo in an immunosuppressed patient
JF BMJ Case Reports
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP bcr-2018-224968
DO 10.1136/bcr-2018-224968
VO 2018
A1 William Thomas Wilson
A1 Mannix O’Boyle
A1 William J Leach
YR 2018
UL http://casereports.bmj.com/content/2018/bcr-2018-224968.abstract
AB Tattooing for decorative body art is becoming more popular and, as a result, so are tattoo-related complications. Patients are unlikely to discuss tattoos with medical professionals, even though these might be relevant. Long-term immunosuppressed patients are often young adults who may wish to consider tattooing. It is well recognised that immunosuppressed patients are at increased risk of infection including cutaneous mycobacterial infections. They therefore represent a group that is at a potentially higher risk of tattoo-related complications and warrant special consideration.We present the first documented case of inflammatory myopathy as a complication following tattooing in an immunosuppressed individual. This unusual case presented as distal thigh and medial knee pain and it was only after some time that a link to the tattoo was made. This serves as a reminder to consider tattoo-related complications in the differential diagnosis of unusual atraumatic musculoskeletal pain, especially in immunosuppressed individuals.