Subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn, report of five cases

Abstract

Abstract

Subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn (SCFN) is a rare, self-healing condition aff ecting full-term or post-term newborns within the fi rst weeks of life. Although the etiology is unknown, this disorder is associated with neonatal hypoxia, hypothermia, obsteric trauma, anemia, thrombocytopenia, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and maternal exposure to use of cocaine or calcium channel blockers during pregnancy. Hypercalcemia is the most serious although rare complication and may occur up to six months after the skin lesions appear. We report fi ve patients with diagnosis of subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn detected during 2001-2008. All patients had history of perinatal hypoxia, four of the pregnancies presented with hypertension and no child had complications

(Dermatol Argent 2009;15(3):200-204).

Key words: subcutaneous fat necrosis, hypercalcemia, newborn.