Pancreatic panniculitis associated with acinar cell pancreatic carcinoma.

Division of Dermatology, McGill University, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal, QC, Canada. susan.poelman@mail.mcgill.ca

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic panniculitis is a rare entity, occurring in less than 2% of patients with pancreatic disorders. Skin manifestations may precede the diagnosis of a pancreatic disease by many months. When treatable, correction of the underlying pancreatic disorder may lead to prompt resolution of the panniculitis. OBJECTIVE: We present the case of a 74-year-old-man with a history of chronic pancreatitis who presented with an acute onset of tender, nonulcerating nodules. The clinical and histologic features of pancreatic panniculitis are discussed, with a brief review of the differential diagnosis and clinical approach to panniculitis. CONCLUSIONS: Pancreatic panniculitis is a recognizable clinical entity with characteristic histologic features that may resolve with treatment of the underlying pancreatic disorder. The algorithm-based clinical approach to panniculitis presented in this study is a practical tool designed to guide clinicians in ordering investigations and determining the appropriate management for patients presenting with subcutaneous nodules.

PMID: 18258147 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]