Idiopathic Chronic Calcific Periarthritis in a Child

Calcific periarthritis is a calcium deposition disease of the periarticular tissues. Deposits of calcium from calcific periarthritis can be found in the periarticular tissues of the shoulders, hips, elbows, wrists, and knees. This disease is often the manifestation of another primary process, such as end-stage renal disease, collagen vascular disease, and systemic diseases (eg, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis), among others. Furthermore, calcific periarthritis has been linked to certain areas of the body because of pathologic stress related to repetitive motions, micro­trauma, and local hypoxia. This type of soft-tissue mass is usually found in older men and women. In addition, its incidence, calcium deposits related to calcific periarthri­tis, and soft-tissue masses in general, are rare in children.

Here we present the first report of idiopathic chronic calcific periarthritis in a child. The diagnosis was sus­pected on the basis of clinical and radiographic appear­ance and despite the rarity of the disease in children. The patient underwent surgical treatment and was free of local recurrence. The cause of this case was never determined.