Necrobiosis lipoidica

Abstract

We present a case of necrobiosis lipoidica (NL) of the right abdomen in a 75-year-old man. A skin biopsy performed showed a layered infiltrate of mono and multinucleated histiocytes palisaded around degenerated collagen bundles. Laboratory workup was unremarkable. The patient was treated with topical corticosteroids with cessation of progression of his disease, although the eruption did not resolve. There are a number of treatments for NL reported in the literature, all with varying efficacy. Although NL lesions are usually asymptomatic, patients with NL must be monitored closely for signs of ulceration or malignant transformation, in which case more aggressive treatment options may be warranted.