Abstracts, JCMS, Vol. Calciphylaxis is a rare, painful and debilitating disease in which calcification of the skin and subcutaneous tissues or of internal organs can lead to skin necrosis, discolouration, and other skin lesions. There has been recent debate regarding misdiagnosis and failure to differentiate this category of patients even in clinical studies.
Skin biopsy is an important diagnostic tool when the condition is suspected.
Parathyroidectomy may be justified because the untreated disease itself has significant rates of morbidity and mortality and because this treatment occasionally leads to dramatic clinical improvement.