[Lipomembranous panniculitis: clinicopathologic correlation of 8 cases].

BACKGROUND

The term lipomembranous panniculitis refers to a chronic inflammation of the subcutaneous cell tissue, probably representing a non-specific type of ischemic necrosis of the fatty tissue, common to several complaints. It is characterized by painful sclerotic subcutaneous deposits, located in the lower legs of obese, middle-aged woman, with a history of vascular insufficiency and stasis dermatitis. The condition may also appear in association with other inflammatory disorders.

METHODS

This paper is a review of all cases of lipomembranous panniculitis diagnosed at the Skin Histopathology Laboratory at Santa Maria Hospital, Lisbon, from 1985-2005. In the histopathological study, the associated clinical processes were retrospectively analyzed and the risk factors/associated pathologies re-evaluated.

RESULTS

Eight patients were identified, all women, and with an average age of 49. Over half the patients were overweight. In most cases the lesions had been evolving for over 6 months and were associated with chronic venous insufficiency of the legs, both from a clinical point of view (7 patients) and a histopathological point of view (6 patients). In two of the cases, the lesions occurred in patients with connective tissue disorders.

CONCLUSIONS

Great variability was observed with regard to the clinical morphology of the lesions, the proposed diagnoses and prescribed treatments, all of which possibly highlight the non-specific nature of the process.