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Calciphylaxis is a rare disorder in patients with chronic renal failure that is characterized by ischemic necrotic skin lesions. The prognosis is grave and mortality is high (80%). The precise mechanism of calciphylaxis is still unknown, but in addition to chronic renal failure, elevated parathyroid hormone levels appear to play a role. The role of parathyroidectomy in treating affected patients is questionable. In this article, we describe the case of a patient with chronic renal failure who developed rapidly progressive subcutaneous calcifications and ulcerations in the lower extremities. These lesions regressed following subtotal parathyroidectomy. We also review the literature on calciphylaxis, with a focus on treatment options.

A case of metastatic papillary carcinoma of the thyroid is described in which internal jugular vein thrombosis was the initial sign. Local factors, such as compression and invasion, were excluded as causes. A hypercoagulable state associated with deep vein thrombosis is known to accompany some types of adenocarcinomas or autoimmune diseases. We propose that carcinoma-induced hypercoagulability was the course of thrombogenesis in our patient. This is to the best of our knowledge the first report of an association between adenocarcinoma of the thyroid and a hypercoagulable state.

We present a case of liposarcoma of the nasopharynx in a 28-year-old woman. The tumor was incompletely resected through an intraoral approach and supplementary radiotherapy of 50 Gy in a restricted field was therefore administered. Eleven years of follow-up show the patient to be disease free.