Post-stripping sclerodermiform dermatitis

Background: Cutaneous sclerosis, a process that results in hardening of the skin, is the hallmark of scleroderma and sclerodermoid disorders. Cutaneou s sclerosis is usually classified as secondary or primary, depending on the presence or absence of underlying diseases. Primary cutaneous sclerosis is a feature of idiopathic inflammatory processes that are often associated w ith autoimmune disorders, whereas secondary cutaneous sclerosis arises in t he context of many pathological processes of varying causes, including chro nic graft-vs-host disease, defined metabolic or genetic disorders, and expo sure to certain infectious organisms, drugs, or chemicals. Observations: Three patients had localized cutaneous sclerosis overlying th e site of a surgically removed (stripped) great saphenous vein. In all 3 pa tients, lesions were clinically characterized by multiple hypopigmented and indurated plaques distributed linearly along the path of the preexisting v ein. Extensive history, physical examination, and diagnostic tests did not reveal known predisposing factors for cutaneous sclerosis. Conclusions: Although the observed association of sclerodermiform dermatiti s and venous stripping in these 3 patients does not imply a causal relation ship, the absence of other identifiable predisposing factors and the striki ng linear distribution of the cutaneous lesions along the path of the preex isting vein are suggestive. This post-stripping sclerodermiform dermatitis may be a rare late complication of saphenous vein stripping.