Periumbilical perforating pseudoxanthoma elasticum in a young male patient

Abstract

Periumbilical perforating pseudoxanthoma elasticum is a rare acquired disorder of connective tissue. It has been suggested that repeated traumas of pregnancy, obesity, or abdominal surgery promote localized degeneration of elastic fibers. Most cases reported in the English literature occurred in obese, middle aged, muciparous women. We describe a 29-year-old male who had two hyperpigmented plaques on the periumbilical area. He had angioid streaks, but was not obese and did not have hypertension. A skin biopsy revealed transepidermal elimination of degenerated and calcified elastic fibers, which was consistent with periumbilical perforating pseudoxanthoma elasticum. We report an interesting case of periumbilical perforating pseudoxanthoma elasticum that occurred in a young man with no known predisposing risk factors.