[Management of chicken pox purpura fulminans: a pediatric case report]

Thrombosis in the perforasome in idiopathic purpura fulminans with anti-protein S antibodies: Anatomical and clinical evidence to improve management

Idiopathic purpura fulminans (IPF) is a rare and severe form of purpura fulminans caused by acquired protein S deficiency. It can lead to severe thrombotic complications, such as large skin necrosis and amputation. The lesions almost exclusively affect the lower limbs, and their distribution is similar among patients with IPF, unlike classical purpura fulminans lesions. Our hypothesis is that vascular structures called perforasomes may be involved in IPF, possibly caused by protein S deficiency. We analyzed all case reports and case series published in the literature that provided sufficient data for an anatomical study of limb injuries. For precise localization of areas of necrosis, we examined each case using descriptions and images to determine whether they overlapped with vascular territories that include perforasomes. We analyzed twelve cases from the literature and identified six vascular territories: the anterolateral, anteromedial, and posterior territories of the upper leg, as well as the anterolateral, anteromedial, and posterolateral territories of the lower leg. For each territory, we described the most probable vascular damage and the corresponding perforasome. IPF is a complex multifactorial disease in which a direct involvement of perforating arteries may be suspected and taken into account in the surgical of lesions.

Idiopathic purpura fulminans associated with anti-protein S antibodies in children: a multicenter case series and systematic review

Idiopathic purpura fulminans (IPF) is a rare but severe prothrombotic coagulation disorder that can occur after chickenpox or human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection. IPF leads to an autoantibody-mediated decrease in the plasma concentration of protein S. We conducted a retrospective multicenter study involving patients with IPF from 13 French pediatric centers and a systematic review of cases in published literature. Eighteen patients were included in our case series, and 34 patients were included as literature review cases. The median age was 4.9 years, and the diagnostic delay after the first signs of viral infection was 7 days. The lower limbs were involved in 49 patients (94%) with typical lesions. In all, 41 patients (78%) had a recent history of varicella-zoster virus infection, and 7 patients (14%) had been infected by HHV-6. Most of the patients received heparin (n = 51; 98%) and fresh frozen plasma transfusions (n = 41; 79%); other treatment options were immunoglobulin infusion, platelet transfusion, corticosteroid therapy, plasmapheresis, and coagulation regulator concentrate infusion. The antithrombin level and platelet count at diagnosis seemed to be associated with severe complications. Given the rarity of this disease, the creation of a prospective international registry is required to consolidate these findings.

[Management of purpura fulminans lesions in children]

Purpura fulminans is a pediatric life-threatening emergency with a significant mortality, combining: septic shock, extensive purpuric lesions and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The most frequent bacterial pathogen is the meningococcus. The medical management includes antibiotics, corticoids, vascular filling and catecholamines. Purpura fulminans is characterized by the extent of hemorrhagic and mainly thrombotic lesions, attributed to the alteration in the vascular endothelium functions. Damage of soft tissues combines large necrotic areas and more or less extensive distal ischemic lesions. Necrotic lesions can be deep, reaching skin, subcutaneous tissue, fascia, muscle and sometimes even the bone. The importance of the aesthetic and functional sequelae as well as future quality of life, depend on the quality of surgical management for these wide and deep lesions. Fasciotomy is sometimes urgently needed in the case of a clinical compartment syndrome, confirmed by a high-pressure measurement in the muscle compartments. Debridement of necrotic lesions and amputations are only performed after a clear delineation of necrotic areas, between 10 days and 3 weeks of evolution. If an amputation is necessary, it must focus on the residual bone length, considering the child's growth potential. The coverage of tissue loss uses all the plastic surgery techniques, more or less complex, in order to reduce scars to minimum for these children. Rehabilitation follow-up includes physical and psychological care, which are essential until adulthood.