[False diagnosis of phlebitis].

The false diagnosis of "phlebitis" is extremely frequently made: 1) They often relate to the poor interpretation of aspecific clinical signs: oedema, tumefaction, erythema and especially Homan's sign, myalgia, tendinitis, haematoma, hypodermitis, insect bites, thrombosis and varicose sclerosis. 2) The haemostatic syndrome can indicate to the experienced phlebologist: cardiac decompensation, cirrhosis, atonia and post-traumatic muscle atrophy, compressive affections (aneurysms, hernia and especially malignant tumours) and automutilation. 3) Finally, false diagnoses are made more and more frequently because the results of para-clinical tests are taken into account without fitting them into the total clinical picture itself.