Tumoral calcinosis at the posterior cervical region successfully treated by surgical resection in a hemodialysis patient: A case report

Abstract

We report a rare case of tumoral calcinosis at the posterior cervical region successfully treated by surgical resection in a hemodialysis patient.
A 70-year-old female, who had been on hemodialysis since 1979, suddenly developed persistent severe right shoulder and neck pain in January 1989. X-ray and computed tomography revealed marked tumoral calcinosis with cystic degeneration at the posterior cervical region. Laboratory examination showed a high level of serum inorganic phosphorus and the calcium×phosphorus product approached 60. As conservative therapy was not effective, surgical resection was performed. Postoperatively, neck pain disappeared and no evidence of recurrence was precipitated by administration of elcatonin and calcium carbonate.
In conclusion, we recommend surgical treatment under these conditions: 1) conservative therapy for tumoral calcinosis is not effective; 2) local pain is severe; 3) tumoral calcinosis is localized.