A 50 year old man, with a prior history of stage IV rectal cancer in palliative treatment, came to the Emergency Department with sudden severe pain of 12h duration in the left lower extremity. On physical examination edema with fovea in the left lower extremity with cyanosis below the knee (Figs. 1 and 2, arrows) was found. No popliteal or distal pulse could be found, with anesthesia and paralysis of the left foot. A Doppler ultrasound showed deep venous thrombosis of the iliac, femoral and popliteal veins. Anticoagulation was started with low molecular weight heparin. The patient progressed to venous gangrene and died 4 days later.
Please cite this article as: García Familiar A, Larrañaga Oyarzabal I, Rodríguez Sáenz De Buruaga V, Egaña Barrenechea JM. Flegmasía cerúlea dolens. Cir Esp. 2013;91:e21.
