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Case Reports
. 2021 May 9;8(5):374.
doi: 10.3390/children8050374.

Subcutaneous Fat Necrosis and Hypercalcemia with Nephrocalcinosis in Infancy: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Katerina Chrysaidou  1   2 , Georgios Sargiotis  1 , Vasiliki Karava  1 , Dimitrios Liasis  2 , Victor Gourvas  2 , Vissarios Moutsanas  3 , Athanasios Christoforidis  1 , Stella Stabouli  1
Affiliations
Case Reports

Subcutaneous Fat Necrosis and Hypercalcemia with Nephrocalcinosis in Infancy: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Katerina Chrysaidou et al. Children (Basel). .

Abstract

Subcutaneous fat necrosis is an uncommon benign panniculitis affecting more commonly full-term newborns. It has been associated with birth asphyxia and meconium aspiration, as well as therapeutic hypothermia. Although the prognosis is generally favorable, complications such as hypercalcemia, thrombocytopenia, hypoglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia may complicate its course. The most serious complication is hypercalcemia that may reach life threatening levels and can be associated with nephrocalcinosis. We thereby describe a case of subcutaneous fat necrosis after therapeutic hypothermia, which presented with late-onset refractory severe hypercalcemia and persistent nephrocalcinosis during the follow up of the patient. Due to the risk of the development of chronic kidney disease, we highlight the importance of careful monitoring of hypercalcemia and review the literature of subcutaneous fat necrosis related to nephrocalcinosis.

Keywords: fat necrosis; hypercalcemia; nephrocalcinosis; newborn; subcutaneous fat.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Neck abscess during healing.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Normal epidermis from the gluteal region with granulomatous inflammation, panniculitis and basophilic fat necrosis with intracytoplasmic needle-shaped clefts in histiocytes and lipocytes (arrows).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Ultrasonography of the kidney showing increased echogenicity of the medullary pyramids (nephrocalcinosis).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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