LIPOATROPHIA-SEMICIRCULARIS - A TRAUMATIC PANNICULITIS - REPORT OF 7 CASES AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Lipoatrophia semicircularis is an apparently rare condition, which pre sents as semicircular band-like atrophy of the subcutaneous fatty tiss ue and involving half the circumference of the anterolateral aspects o f the thighs. Repeated external microtraumatism seems to be the most p lausible explanation in several cases in the literature, though in som e patients the underlying traumatic mechanism is difficult to establis h. No relation to underlying clinical or biologic abnormalities appear s to be. Seven patients with lipoatrophia semicircularis are described . A detailed clinical history revealed precipitating trauma in all cas es. A review is made of earlier reports in the literature.