Calciphylaxis: a review.

Calciphylaxis is a condition involving vascular calcification and cutaneous necrosis. The mortality rate is high, with more than 50 percent of patients dying within one year of diagnosis. The exact pathogenesis of calciphylaxis is unclear. Lower extremities are most commonly involved. Intravascular calcium deposition in the media of the dermal and subcutaneous arterioles is the diagnostic histopathologic feature seen. Treatment options include wound care, surgical debridement, sodium thiosulfate, bisphosphonates, and hyperbaric oxygen.