Raccoon Purpura

I received this email from an otherwise healthy 23 yo woman who I saw a month ago for an unrelated problem: "I was wondering if you might have any insight to another skin problem I am having. After receiving some terrible news, I have popped a number of blood vessels around my eyes and face to the the point of having dark purple bruises around and on my eyes. I do not know what to do. I look like a victim of abuse and would like to heal my face as soon as possible."

Discussion: One can see eyelid purpura and petechiae with a number of pathologic processes (amyloidosis, coagulopathy) but also after valsalva maneuver, violent vomiting, coughing. I suspect the latter and need more information from the patient. Any thoughts?



Reference: Anesth Analg. 2007 Dec;105(6):1561-3, table of contents.

Periorbital ecchymoses during general anesthesia in a patient with primary amyloidosis: a harbinger for bleeding? Available Free Full Text Online

Weingarten TN, Hall BA, Richardson BF, Hofer RE, Sprung J.

Source

Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.

Abstract: Primary amyloidosis is a result of proliferation of a population of plasma cells that leads to an increased secretion of monoclonal immunoglobulins (amyloid). Amyloid protein infiltrates increase capillary fragility. Such capillaries can burst, even after minor stress, resulting in periorbital hemorrhage. We describe a 64-yr-old man with primary amyloidosis who underwent general anesthesia. His eyes were gently closed with tape. Upon removal of the tape bilateral periorbital purpura was noted. All coagulation studies were normal. The periorbital hemorrhage was attributed to amyloidosis-induced capillary fragility.