A rare case of congenital ulcerated subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn

Subcutaneous fat necrosis of the newborn is an uncommon and transient disease characterised by defined areas of fat necrosis and overlying cutaneous nodule lesions. It usually becomes apparent within the first six weeks of life in full term or post-term infants. In many cases it is related to gestational distressful events such as: traumas, hypothermia, Rh incom- patibilities, placenta previa, hypoxia and cocaine abuse.1 But it can also affect newborns of mothers with normal gesta- tional courses. The aetiology of this disease is still unknown, although birth distress, hypoxia and hypothermia have proved to have a preeminent role in most cases.