Calciphylaxis

Calciphylaxis is a rare, life-threatening condition of widespread metastati c calcification most commonly seen in the selling of end-stage renal diseas e. The etiology of calciphylaxis is not well described, though there are se veral hypotheses. Cutaneous lesions are characteristically found on the abd omen, buttocks, or thighs as reticulated, painful, purple plaques that ofte n undergo ulceration and may serve as a portal of entry for potentially lif e-threatening infectious agents. Histology reveals medial calcification wit h intimal proliferation involving small vessels in the subcutaneous fat, as sociated with a lymphohistiocytic infiltrate of the affected lobules. Treat ment, including phosphate binders and parathyroidectomy, is not universally effective. We present one case of calciphylaxis and discuss the clinical f eatures, pathophysiology, histology, and treatment of the condition.