Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0012739 (disseminated intravascular coagulation)
 8,673 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Dermal vascular skin necrosis is associated with a complex group of clinical disorders. Many of these disorders are associated with an underlying abnormality of the PC anticoagulant system or DIC, or both. The clinical appearance and histopathologic features of dermal vascular skin necrosis are similar regardless of the etiology. Acute infectious purpura fulminans is distinct in that an acute vasculitis may be present in addition to microvascular thrombosis. Skin biopsy is a valuable diagnostic tool in the early recognition of these clinical disorders, since skin involvement is frequently an early manifestation of the disease process. Prompt recognition and institution of appropriate therapy at the reversible stages of dermal vascular thrombosis will, it is hoped, reduce the morbidity and mortality currently associated with skin necrosis and purpura fulminans.
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PMID:Dermatopathology of skin necrosis associated with purpura fulminans. 228 18

Necrotizing fasciitis and purpura fulminans are two destructive infections that involve both skin and soft tissue. Necrotizing fasciitis is characterized by widespread necrosis of subcutaneous tissue and the fascia. Historically, group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus has been identified as a major cause of this infection. However, this monomicrobial infection is usually associated with some underlying cause, such as diabetes mellitus. During the last two decades, scientists have found that the pathogenesis of necrotizing fasciitis is polymicrobial. The diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis must be made as soon as possible by examining the skin inflammatory changes. Magnetic resonance imaging is strongly recommended to detect the presence of air within the tissues. Percutaneous aspiration of the soft tissue infection followed by prompt Gram staining should be conducted with the "finger-test" and rapid-frozen section biopsy examination. Intravenous antibiotic therapy is one of the cornerstones of managing this life-threatening skin infection. Surgery is the primary treatment for necrotizing fasciitis, with early surgical fasciotomy and debridement. Following debridement, skin coverage by either Integra Dermal Regeneration Template or AlloDerm should be undertaken. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy complemented by intravenous polyspecific immunoglobulin are useful adjunctive therapies. Purpura fulminans is a rare syndrome of intravascular thrombosis and hemorrhagic infarction of the skin; it is rapidly progressive and accompanied by vascular collapse. There are three types of purpura fulminans: neonatal purpura fulminans, idiopathic or chronic purpura fulminans, and acute infectious purpura fulminans. Clinical presentation of purpura fulminans involves a premonitory illness followed by the rapid development of a septic syndrome with fever, shock, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The diagnosis and treatment of these conditions is best accomplished in a regional burn center in which management of multiple organ failure can be conducted with aggressive debridement and fasciotomy of the necrotic skin. The newest revolutionary advancement in the treatment of neonatal purpura fulminans is the use of activated protein C.
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PMID:Massive soft tissue infections: necrotizing fasciitis and purpura fulminans. 1571 17