[Panniculitis ossificans and review of the literature]

Four cases of panniculitis ossificans were treated in 1978-1994. They all occurred at the distal phalanx. Pain, swell beneath nails, ulcer, pyorrhea, clark red skin were observed. X-ray examination of 2 cases showed dense shadows in the solft tissue of the distal phalanx. Pathologically the lesion was flatten-round, and separated with the bone. The cut surface was gray and sandy. Histological pictures were the same in 4 cases, namely atrophy of subcutaneons adipose tissue, the osteoid and new bone were seen. Two cases formed the cartilage and the background showed small vessels, proliferative fibroblasts, and inflammatory cells. This disease is easy to recur when nail extraction with curretting is done. It is usually misdiagnosed as inflammation of nail bed or tumor.