Kaposi's Sarcoma and Acute Limb Ischaemia: A Possible Direct Vascular Link

Acute limb ischaemia is caused by a sudden interruption in arterial flow. Its occurrence in oncology is uncommon compared with the general population. Generally considered to be part of the paraneoplastic syndrome, its occurrence in a patient with Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) raises the question of a different pathophysiology. We report a case of acute limb ischaemia in a patient with KS. The patient was 51 years old and had hyperpigmented macules on both lower limbs for 6 months, some of which had become nodules. He was recently diagnosed with HIV and had been put on treatment. He presented with purplish macules on the lower limbs, and examination of the oral cavity revealed a purplish lesion on the palate. He presented with dry gangrene of the left limb that worsened over time. A vascular link could be suggested as an explanation for acute limb ischaemia in KS.