Calciphylaxis

Treatment

No standard or universally effective treatment for calciphylaxis exists. Early diagnosis and treatment offer the best chance to reduce the effects. At Mayo Clinic, calciphylaxis is treated using three approaches explained below.

Intensive wound treatment

Your doctor will recommend aggressive wound care. For sores to heal, some of the tissue damaged by calciphylaxis may need to be surgically removed (debridement). In some cases, tissue can be removed using other methods, such as wet dressings or whirlpool treatments, among others. Antibiotic treatment is part of treating and preventing wound infection. You may be offered medication to assist with pain due to the calciphylaxis or wound care.

Restoring oxygen and blood flow to the skin

Your doctor may recommend hyperbaric oxygen therapy to increase oxygen delivery to the affected parts of the body. Also, your doctor may use low-dose tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) to dissolve the blood clots in tiny blood vessels of the skin. Medication that thins your blood may be prescribed to prevent additional blood clots from forming.

Decreasing calcium deposits

Reducing calcium deposits in your arteries may be helped by:

• Dialysis. Your doctor may change your dialysis prescription if you're on kidney dialysis, including medications used in and frequency of your dialysis.
• Medications to reduce calcium. Your doctor will evaluate your current medications and eliminate potential triggers for calciphylaxis, such as corticosteroids or iron, and may modify the amount or dose of your calcium or vitamin D supplements. Your doctor may also recommend a medication called cinacalcet (Sensipar), which can help control parathyroid hormone (PTH). Other medications may include sodium thiosulfate, which binds with calcium so it passes out of the body in urine, and medications to improve the balance of calcium and phosphorus.
• Surgery. If your doctor determines that an overactive parathyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism) is contributing to the abnormal calcium metabolism by producing too much PTH, surgery to remove all or part of the parathyroid glands may be recommended.