Thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO), also known as Buerger's disease, is a vasculitis associated with a history of smoking, presenting as limb ischemia. Conversely, leprosy is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). While leprosy typically presents with neurological signs, this report describes a rare case of atypical borderline lepromatous (BL) leprosy in a type 1 reaction with an initial presentation mimicking TAO in an elderly woman. This atypical presentation, combined with skin changes related to aging, masked the diagnosis of BL leprosy.
Keywords: borderline lepromatous leprosy; buerger's disease; mycobacterium leprae; thromboangiitis obliterans; vasculitis.
Copyright © 2025, Sena et al.