Subcutaneous Fat Necrosis in Pancreatic Disease A Review and Two New Case Reports

Abstract

Subcutaneous fat necrosis is a rare and often overlooked sign of pancreatic disease. It is manifested in painful subcutaneous erythematous nodules, often found on the legs. The histopathological finding is pathognomic. Therefore, correlation of clinical manifestations with histopathological and laboratory findings may be helpful in recognizing some disorders of subcutaneous fat. Despite several studies, the cause of metastatic fat necrosis is unknown. I describe the syndrome, review the literature, and report two new cases.