Embolia cutis medicamentosa: an unusual adverse reaction to terlipressin

Terlipressin is a synthetic long-acting analog of vasopressin widely used to control variceal bleeding by lowering portal venous pressure. We report an unusual adverse reaction to terlipressin in a 78-year-old patient with esophageal variceal bleeding who developed skin necrosis soon after treatment initiation. Skin biopsy revealed embolia cutis medicamentosa. Keywords Terlipressin, embolia cutis medicamentosa, skin necrosis, Nicolau syndrome, esophageal variceal bleeding Ann Gastroenterol 2017; 30 (6): 700-703