Medical Must-See: What in blue blazes are these finger ulcerations?
The rare disease tends to affect young men, with a high amputation rate
A middle-aged man’s blue and ulcerated fingertips left ED doctors weeding out the potential causes.
The 49-year-old described a six-week history of intermittent painful skin breakdown on his fingers, accompanied by spontaneous drainage.
On examination, doctors noted bilateral pitting of the hands, as well as blue discolouration and areas of ulceration on the fingertips. A positive Allen test indicated inadequate palmar arterial supply.
The patient reported heavy marijuana smoking, but not tobacco use, and was subsequently diagnosed with cannabis arteritis, a rare vascular condition.
