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Nose piercing leaves 20-year-old girl in wheelchair for life


A 20-year-old girl has been left in a wheelchair for life because of a bacterial infection that developed after she had her nose pierced.

Layne Dias had her nose pierced last July and said the piercing bled and was swollen at the time but she thought nothing of it.

“I thought it was a spot, but it caused a fever,” she told local media in Brazil.

A bacterial infection from a nose piercing left 20-year-old Layne Dias paralysed for life. Source: Australscope/CEN
A bacterial infection from a nose piercing left 20-year-old Layne Dias paralysed for life. Source: Australscope/CEN

“I treated it myself, I put creams on it and a week later it disappeared.”

However, soon after the “spot” disappeared she began to feel serious pain in her legs.

Doctors were reportedly struggling to give her an exact diagnosis until they discovered staph bacteria in her bloodstream.

Ms Dias then says the doctors asked her if she had any cuts on her nose as that is the area of the body the bacteria normally develops in and she then revealed she had received the piercing weeks before.

The pain in her legs soon developed into a feeling of numbness in her entire body which prevented her from walking.

Because of the seriousness of her condition she was taken to the Hospital Institute de Base in the Brazilian capital Brasilia where an MRI scan showed Ms Dias had 500 millilitres of pus compressing three vertebrae in her spinal cord.

She had to undergo emergency surgery and the neurosurgeon responsible, Oswaldo Ribeiro Marquez, told local media he had never seen that kind of bacterial infection caused by a piercing in his 15-year medical career.

Layne Dias is now wheelchair-bound but has embraced new sports like basketball and handball. Source: Australscope/CEN
Layne Dias is now wheelchair-bound but has embraced new sports like basketball and handball. Source: Australscope/CEN

The emergency surgery managed to stop the infection spreading but Ms Dias has been left without the use of her legs.

“The pus could have caused an infection which may have been fatal. When the liquid was removed, her marrow decompressed and this prevented her condition from worsening,” Dr Marquez said.

Ms Dias was released from the hospital two months later and was shocked to learn she would be in a wheelchair for life.

“I was devastated. At the start, it was a very sad situation. My life changed a lot but I felt happy when I left the hospital as I was not there anymore,” she said.

“I have met other young people in wheelchairs and I have seen that I can be happy like this [in a wheelchair]. Now I’m doing exercise like playing basketball and handball.”

What is a staph infection?

The staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria is a relatively common type of bacteria that usually doesn’t cause any harm, but a staph infection can occur when the bacteria enters the body and multiplies.

There are many different types of staph infection, and some people are more prone to infections than others, according to Health Direct Australia.

Staph infections can range from boils to blood poisoning, and could be life threatening. Anyone who thinks they might be infected should consult a doctor as soon as possible.

Piercings: How to minimise infection risk

Alessandra Romiti, a dermatologist consulted by local media, said issues with piercings usually come from the place where the piercing was carried out.

“The patient should take care that the place is clean and avoid any risk of contamination,” she said.

It is unclear where Ms Dias received the piercing.

– Australscope