Disseminated intravascular coagulation – a rare, difficult-to-anticipate complication of limb infections

Abstract

Disseminated vascular coagulation is a serious complication of upper and lower limb infections. The marked reduction in the number of platelets, characteristic of this type of complication, constitutes a major impediment for classical surgical treatment, consisting of wide debridements and large exploratory incisions. The increased risk of hemorrhage associated with this type of surgical approach is the main concern of plastic surgeons involved in the treatment of these conditions. The present paper highlights the difficulty of early identification of CID-type complications, by presenting some clinical cases with similar onset, but whose evolution is characterized by diametrically opposite clinical forms.