Blueberry Muffin Lesions, Embolus, Septic - DermAtlas

Contributor

Bernard Cohen, MD

Diagnosis

blueberry muffin lesions embolus, septic

Body Site

chest

Age

3 years

Pigmentation

light

Organization

scattered

Color

blue purple

Morphology

plaqulous (plaque / nodule / tumor)

Pattern

symmetric central (centrifugal - trunk predominant)

Comments

A severely ill immunosuppressed 3 year old liver transplant with multiorgan failure,fever, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and sepsis developed multiple 3-6 mm purplish-blue nodules on the upper torso. Although the cultures from a skin biopsy failed to grow fungal or bacterial organisms, the presumed diagnosis was septic emboli. The skin biopsy showed perivascular lymphocytic dermal infiltrates with some destruction of vessels, hemorrhage, but no organisms on H&E or special stains. He deffervesced and the nodules slowly disappeared while he was treated with broad spectrum antibiotics and antifungal therapy.

Description

purplish-blue 3-6 mm nodules

Image Added

3/4/2002 22:33:04

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Other Resources

PubMed Medline Plus Medscape

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