Surgical complications of Kawasaki disease

Four of 10 cases of Kawasaki disease (KD), mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, seen from 1975 to 1980 had serious surgical complications. These included gallbladder obstruction, massive necrosis of gallbladder, liver, duodenum, jejunum, and necrosis of digits of both hands. Less serious necrosis of adrenals, testes, bladder, and stomach were seen. The operative mortality rate was 25%. The etiology is unknown. The average age was 2 yr. There was no sex preponderance. The essential lesion is an arteritis and periarteritis initially involving small arteries and later the medium and large vessels.