[Cutaneous periarteritis nodosa. Critical study about 4 cases (author's transl)].

Cutaneous form of periarteritis nodosa. Four personal cases are added to 70 cases of the previous literature. The clinical and biological picture of the cutaneous form of P.A.N. are different from the systemic one by the lack of visceral involvement and a noteworthy good long-term prognosis. Venous (superficial thrombophlebitis) and distal arterial involvement in some cases, raise doubts about diagnosis and classification. The solution is in an accurate definition of the diagnostic clues and specially of the histopathological ones.