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Case Reports: Rare disease
Phlegmasia cerulea dolens: a swelling, cyanosis and discolouration of the extremity in the ICU
  1. João Alves,
  2. Andrea Salgueiro,
  3. João Pedro Baptista and
  4. Paulo Coimbra
  1. Intensive Care Medicine, Centro Hospitalar e Universitario de Coimbra EPE, Coimbra, Portugal
  1. Correspondence to Dr João Alves; jpbmalves{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Phlegmasia cerulea dolens is a rare entity that causes critical limb ischaemia, which may lead to amputation of the limb and may be life-threatening. Here, we describe a case of a healthy man in his 50s with multiple trauma who was transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a central hospital for neuromonitoring following splenectomy for the stabilisation of a hypovolaemic shock. On admission to the ICU, the patient developed a swollen and white leg. The condition was caused by early compromised arterial flow secondary to extensive deep vein thrombosis.

  • Cardiovascular medicine
  • Venous thromboembolism
  • Trauma
  • Adult intensive care

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2022-251973

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors JA: responsible for the design, data acquisition and conception of the article. AS: contribution to article writing. JPB: design and guidance from work conception to submission. PC: global guidance and case correction.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.