[Diagnostic problems posed by acute necrosis of the extremities after electrocoagulation of an epithelioma of the floor of the mouth].

Three weeks after electrocoagulation of an enormous epithelioma of the floor of the mouth, a 62-year-old man presented after a shower-bath with symmetrical cyanosis of the toes and fingers with painful oedema coloured by livedo reticularis of the lower third of the legs and forearms. In the hands this developed into a dry necrosis and necessitated their amputation. In the absence of biological tests and a posteriori the authors discuss the diagnosis of cryoglobulinaemia and intravascular disseminated coagulopathy; but in fact, these two syndromes produce very similar cutaneous symptoms, notably, cryofibrinogenaemias, cryofibrinogen being a degradation product of fibrin liberated in C. I. V. D.