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AJP Rep 2014; 04(02): e93-e96
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1395987
Case Report
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Neonatal Hypercalcemia Secondary to Subcutaneous Fat Necrosis Successfully Treated with Pamidronate: A Case Series and Literature Review

Veronica Mugarab Samedi
1   Section of Neonatology, Peter Lougheed Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2   Section of Neonatology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
,
Kamran Yusuf
2   Section of Neonatology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
,
Wendy Yee
2   Section of Neonatology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
,
Hala Obaid
3   Department of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
,
Essa Hamdan Al Awad
1   Section of Neonatology, Peter Lougheed Centre, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
2   Section of Neonatology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
› Author Affiliations
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Publication History

23 July 2013

01 October 2014

Publication Date:
19 November 2014 (online)

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Abstract

Subcutaneous fat necrosis (SCFN) is a noninfectious panniculitis that occurs in term infants who experience significant distress in the 1st weeks of life, including hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Since the introduction of therapeutic hypothermia for HIE, there have been a few published case reports of SCFN, following this modality of treatment. Although, most cases of SCFN resolve spontaneously, SCFN may be associated with hypercalcemia, which may sometimes reach dangerous levels. Approaches used for the management of this potentially life-threatening condition, include hyperhydration, calciuric diuretics, corticosteroids, and in more resistant cases pamidronate, a bisphosphonate. We report our experience on the use of pamidronate in two cases of severe hypercalcemia associated with SCFN following therapeutic hypothermia for HIE. We believe that with increasing use of therapeutic hypothermia for HIE, clinicians are likely to encounter this condition more frequently.

Keywords

hypercalcemia - therapeutic hypothermia - newborn - pamidronate - subcutaneous fat necrosis
 

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