Stabler's Sign Revisited in a Spontaneously Ruptured Neuroblastoma of the Newborn

 

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ABSTRACT

Retroperitoneal hemorrhage is known to cause bruising of flanks (Turner's sign), umbilicus (Cullen's sign), pubis and groin (Stabler's sign), upper thigh (Fox's sign), or scrotum (Bryant's sign). Spontaneous adrenal hemorrhage is the most common cause of nontraumatic parietal ecchymosis sign in neonates. Only 20 such neonatal cases have been reported in the literature. Because all of them were of benign etiology, conservative management is generally recommended in the presence of this sign. We report the sign for the first time in a case of spontaneously ruptured adrenal neuroblastoma of newborn. Perinatal physicians need to be aware of this unusual presentation of neonatal neuroblastoma.

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V. Raveenthiran

Professor of Pediatric Surgery

7. Medical Faculty Quarters, Annamalai Nagar 608002, Tamilnadu, India