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BMJ Case Reports 2009; doi:10.1136/bcr.01.2009.1480
  • Reminder of important clinical lesson

A 14-year-old girl with a sudden arm swelling after axillary depilatory wax

  1. Agata Vitale1,
  2. Fernanda Falcini2,
  3. Giovanni Conti1,
  4. Francesco La Torre1,
  5. Carmelo Fede1,
  6. Gabriele Delia3,
  7. Giuseppina Calcagno1
  1. 1
    University of Messina, Department of Paediatrics, Paediatric Nephrology and Rheumatology Unit, Via Consolare Valeria 1, Messina, 98125, Italy
  2. 2
    University of Florence, Department of Biomedicine, Division of Rheumatology, Transition Unit, Viale Pieraccini, Florence, 50139, Italy
  3. 3
    University of Messina, Department of Surgical Sciences, Via Consolare Valeria 1, Messina, 98125, Italy
  1. Agata Vitale, vitale{at}interfree.it
  • Published 8 May 2009

Summary

Takayasu’s arteritis is a systemic vasculitis predominantly affecting the aorta and its major branches. We report a 14-year-old girl in whom incidentally a deep upper limb vein thrombosis was found. She was referred to the emergency unit due to swelling and intermittent cyanosis of the right arm following an axillary depilatory wax. High-resolution echo colour Doppler ultrasonography showed a deep vein thrombosis with thickening of the proximal common carotids. A diagnosis of type IIb Takayasu’s arteritis was made. The patient’s history revealed fatigue, myalgia and headache. Immunosuppressive treatment and anticoagulation were introduced with a rapid and sustained improvement.

Footnotes

  • Competing interests: none.

  • Patient consent: Patient/guardian consent was obtained for publication.

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