Key result
A 38-year-old woman developed severe ischaemia of all four extremities due to Cafergot suppository abuse, which was successfully treated with recovery 72 hours later.
Case Report (n=1)
Highlights a rare case of diffuse vasospasm affecting all four extremities due to ergot derivative abuse, which was successfully treated.
Raises awareness of Cafergot suppository abuse as reversible four-limb ischemia cause; single case leaves open incidence and management protocols.
Ergotism is a rare cause of vasospasm which occurs in 0.001–0.002% of patients receiving ergot derivatives primarily for treatment of migraine [Dagher FJ, Sidawy AN. Ergotism, current treatment in vascular surgery. 4th ed. Ernst-Stanley. p. 154–157]. Vasospasm though diffuse affects usually the lower limbs. We present the case of a 38 year old woman with truly diffuse vasospasm, due to Cafergot suppositories abuse, of all four extremities causing severe ischaemia to her left arm and bilateral intermittent calf claudication. The patient was treated successfully and recovered from vasospasm 72 h later.
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Trellopoulos et al. (2005) conducted a case report in Diffuse vasospasm and acute ischaemia due to ergotism (n=1). Cafergot suppositories abuse was evaluated on Recovery from vasospasm. A 38-year-old woman developed severe ischaemia of all four extremities due to Cafergot suppository abuse, which was successfully treated with recovery 72 hours later.
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