Adolescent Health BriefPiercing and tattooing in patients with congenital heart disease: patient and physician perspectives
Section snippets
Patient survey
An eight-question survey (written in English and Spanish) (available from author) was mailed to 445 patients (181 adults and 264 children) with congenital heart disease, followed at the Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois. Completed questionnaires were returned via prestamped envelopes which were enclosed. All patients were selected from the active mailing lists of the Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Clinic sections. No patients were excluded.
Physician survey
A five-item
Patient survey
Completed questionnaires were returned by 151 of 445 (34%) patients (mean age 19.8 ± 16.2 years; range 6 months to 67 years); 58% of participants were female. Ear piercing had been performed in 43% of participants (mean age 12.4 ± 8.7 years; range 3 months to 45 years). Tattoos had been placed on 5% of participants (median age 17.5 years; range 13–56 years). No participants had body piercing performed. Frequency of self-reported infection and frequency of antibiotic prophylaxis in patients who
Discussion
It is estimated that millions of people have been pierced or tattooed (3). These cosmetic procedures are considered to be safe with low risk of serious infection. However, many persons with pierced ears experience local skin reactions which necessitate antibiotic use, altering the type of metal worn (use of gold only), or allowing pierced holes to close spontaneously. All of these local skin reactions are not infectious. Metal allergy after ear piercing has been well documented in children (4).
References (5)
- Ronge L. Pediatricians’ piercing insight can help teens get the point. AAP News...
- et al.
Prevention of bacterial endocarditisRecommendations by the American Heart Association
JAMA
(1997)