Unilateral nevoid telangiectasia and chronic liver disease. Report of a case and review of the literature.

Abstract

Unilateral nevoid telangiectasia was observed on the back of the left hand and wrist in a 19-year old man with chronic liver disease and portal hypertension. Moreover, abnormalities of the elastic fibers of the skin were found. Examination of the liver biopsy showed extensive portal fibrosis with many dilated blood vessels. No usual cause of juvenile cirrhosis was detected. In the comment, the authors suggest that unilateral nevoid telangiectasia and liver disease could be manifestations of a disease involving skin and liver vessels, as in hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia.