Facial cellulitis revealing choreo-acanthocytosis: a case report

Pan Afr Med J. 2014 Apr 28:17:322. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2014.17.322.4085. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

We report a 62 year-old-man with facial cellulitis revealing choreo-acanthocytosis (ChAc). He showed chorea that started 20 years ago. The orofacial dyskinisia with tongue and cheek biting resulted in facial cellulitis. The peripheral blood smear revealed acanthocytosis of 25%. The overall of chorea, orofacial dyskinetic disorder, peripheral neuropathy, disturbed behavior, acanthocytosis and the atrophy of caudate nuclei was suggestive of a diagnosis of ChAc. To our knowledge no similar cases of facial cellulitis revealing choreo-acanthocytosis (ChAc) were found in a review of the literature.

Keywords: Choreo-acanthocytosis; dyskinetic movements; facial cellulitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Cellulitis / etiology*
  • Cellulitis / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Face
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuroacanthocytosis / complications*
  • Neuroacanthocytosis / pathology