title: Severe Lower Limb Ischemia by Massive Arterial Thrombosis Revealing an Acute Myeloid Leukemia Needing for Leg Amputation: Clinical and Emotional Aspects Related to the Communication with the Patient and His Family.
abstract: Large vessel thrombosis is a very rare clinical presentation of acute leukemia, generally associated with coagulopathy, usually characteristic of acute promyelocytic leukemia. A 13- year-old boy with a previously undiagnosed acute myeloid leukemia was referred to our hospital with acute ischemia of the right lower limb due to occlusion of the right external iliac artery, treated with emergency double surgical thromboembolectomy and chemotherapy. The thrombotic complication resulted in leg amputation. Now the boy is well in complete remission, with a good social integration and quality of life, 30 months after completing treatment. The report highlights the crucial role of early diagnosis and subsequent chemotherapy in avoiding amputation. We particularly focused critical and emotional aspects related to the communication about the leg amputation with the patient and his family.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: D'Angelo
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department.
authors.forename: Calogero
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Taormina
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mosa
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department.
authors.forename: Floriana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Marco
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery Department, A.R.N.A.S Civico, Di Cristina e Benfratelli Hospitals , Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Valentino
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trizzino
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Department.
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guadagna
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery Department, A.R.N.A.S Civico, Di Cristina e Benfratelli Hospitals , Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Talarico
keywords: Acute myeloid leukemia; Chemotherapy; Communication emotional aspects; Large vessels arterial thrombosis; Leg amputation