Thoracocervicofacial purpura and hypoxemia after generalized tonic-clonic seizure

Abstract

We report a case of a 41-year-old man who showed thoracocervicofacial purpura after generalized tonic-clonic convulsion. The patient also had hypoxemia with chest CT findings of non-homogeneous high density in the posterior areas in both lungs, without signs of infection or heart failure. The purpura suggested that strong valsalva maneuver during airway closure and the resultant increase in systemic arterial and pulmonary vascular pressure may have led to pulmonary congestion.