A clinical approach to the uraemic patient with extraskeletal calcifications

Soft tissue calcifications are a frequent complication in patients with chronic renal failure. In most instances they remain clinically silent. However, in a minority of patients they are responsible for complications and may even become life-threatening. Various locations and types of calcium deposits have been characterized. Numerous underlying factors are thought to favour their formation, in particular increased calcium x phosphate product and advanced age. In most cases, local factors probably are involved as well. Tumoral calcinosis is a rarely observed form of extraskeletal calcification which is often invalidating. Since treatment is generally difficult, prevention should be the preferred goal.