Fatty tissue necrosis and oil granuloma after subcutaneous injections of vitamin B12

[helvella]

Some while back there was discussion about research into using some sort of oil base for B12 injections so as to effectively form a depot.

Seems that there is a report of someone using an oil injection - though next to no further information.

Would appear to be something to be very cautious about.

Case Reports

Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen

. 1993 Mar 10;113(7):847.

[Fatty tissue necrosis and oil granuloma after subcutaneous injections of vitamin B12]

[Article in Norwegian]

C Brudvik 1 , E Hamre

Affiliations

• PMID: 8480291

Abstract

A patient is described who developed fatty tissue necrosis and oil granuloma in her thigh after repeated subcutaneous injection of vitamin B12. The injections were taken in a badly documented attempt to prevent migraine. The preparation used was vitamin B12 combined with a mineral oil to give slow release resorption. We describe the histopathological mechanism for reaction of fatty tissue to mineral oil injections. The 40 ml cavity of fat necrosis had to be drained out several times and over a long period of time before our patient was without symptoms.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/848...

[Nackapan]

Sounds nasty.

[helvella in reply to Nackapan]

Very.

I certainly hope that any formal research is a lot better than that! Maybe using some more compatible oil than "mineral oil"? Hey - how about cholesterol...

[Labowner in reply to helvella]

And subcutaneous injections are usually never administered in the thigh. It sounds like a desperate patient gone wild, which can happen when you don't get help. This is why it is so important that health professionals know more about B12 defeciency and patients help each other.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

please note a) only access to abstract available free

b) article dates to 2004

c) the injection was subQ

d) my understanding is that research into similar slow release focuses on intramuscular injections

e) available injections currently used are saline based and do not include a mineral oil

[helvella in reply to Gambit62]

f) even if you had access, it is in Norwegian!