ABSTRACT

Traumatic panniculitis is an inflammation of subcutaneous adipose tissue caused by physical and chemical agents. Causes of traumatic panniculitis include physical agents such as exposure of cold or electricity, accidental blunt trauma to the skin, factitial panniculitis due to injection of substances such as drugs, organic materials and chemical agents into subcutaneous tissue. Lipoatrophia semicircularis and nodular-cystic fat necrosis are the other types of traumatic panniculitis caused by repeated microtraumas. Panniculitis due to mechanical traumas are usually observed in female patients of all ages on the breast or anterior side of the tibia. Physical examination generally revealed indurated, warm, red plaques and nodules. Histopathological findings are non-specific in early lesions. Late lesions are characterized by formations of fat microcysts surrounded by histiocytes. Also fibrosis, lipomembranous changes and hemorrhage are observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of traumatic panniculitis after falling down from a height of three meters. Although the patient landed on her feet, the lesions did not develop on the sole but instead on both anteriomedial sides of the legs.