EARLY ORTHOPEDIC MANAGEMENT
Usually, the first contact that an orthopedic surgeon
has with a child afflicted with purpura fulminans is
two to three days into the disease process, because
the initial treatment is invariably focused on keeping
the morbidly ill child alive. It is only after the
patient survives this critical 24-hour to 48-hour
period and various organ failures have been at least
partially stabilized that the state of the extremities
can be rationally addressed and additional input