[Overt disseminated intravascular coagulation complicating a venous malformation]

INTRODUCTION

Coagulopathy related to venous malformations can be life threatening. This complication is little known and underestimated.

CASE REPORT

We report the case of a 52-year-old female patient who presented with a left femoral fracture. She had a pre-existing muscular infiltrating venous malformation of the left hip. During surgery, she developed acute disseminated intravascular coagulation. The latter was probably a consequence of both surgery and localized intravascular coagulation that was unknown before the trauma.

CONCLUSION

It is important to diagnose localized intravascular coagulation in venous malformations, since the risk of disseminated intravascular coagulation can be prevented by anticoagulant therapy.

[Blue rubber bleb naevus syndrome involving the pleura]

Bean's syndrome ('blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome') is a rare disease characterized by venous malformations involving various organs. Most often these lesions are localized to the skin and the digestive system. Gastro-intestinal bleeding is the most frequent presentation. Though other organs can be affected, chest localizations are infrequent and pleural localization is exceptional. We report the case of an asbestos-exposed patient with Bean's syndrome with characteristic skin lesions, smoker, hospitalized for the investigation of a hemorrhagic pleural effusion. A medical thoracoscopy revealed pleural lesions similar to the cutaneous lesions and compatible with a pleural localization of the disease. This is the first documented case of this disease involving the pleura. A review of the literature was carried out on account of this clinical case.

[Vascular medicine and foam sclerotherapy for venous malformations]

Vascular medicine plays a determining role in the management of vascular malformation, especially venous malformations. Ideally, therapeutic decision should be made in a multidisciplinary staff meeting. Vascular medicine plays the leading role for diagnosis and duplex-Doppler evaluation of coagulation disorders, potentially associated with an assessment of treatment feasibility using chemical or thermic endovascular techniques. Potential adherence of compression therapy must also be evaluated. Decision trees often mention sclerotherapy for the management of venous malformations. Echo-guided foam sclerotherapy is preferred. The superiority of foam sclerotherapy over liquid sclerotherapy has been demonstrated. Indications and limitations of this specific treatment remain to be definitively determined, especially for treatments with radiological control. Side effects are now well described for the use of foam sclerotherapy for venous malformations. They remain limited. Future developments should help optimize the sclerosing effect of currently used foams or other products to be developed. For the vascular medicine specialist, the main contribution is to define the appropriate use of echo-guided sclerotherapy.