Calciphylaxis-calcific uremic arteriolopathy, is a serious disorder of arteriolar calcification of the arteriole media and is associated with endovascular
fibrosis and
thrombosis in subcutaneous adipose tissue. It frequently results in severe
ischemia, intense
pain, and tissue
necrosis with nonhealing skin ulcerations. It usually occurs in
chronic kidney disease and especially in patients requiring
renal replacement therapy. It is associated with a very high mortality rate, and the number of reports and reviews seemed to have increased over the past 5 years. Advances in
therapy and salvaging patients from this high mortality risk have recently been reported with the use of
sodium thiosulfate. The new application for this old
drug used to treat
cyanide poisoning and recently preventing neurotoxic effects resulting in
hearing loss in those patients with
head and neck cancer receiving
cisplatin and
carboplatin therapy are discussed. Recently, multiple case reports have demonstrated that
sodium thiosulfate therapy has resulted in rapid
pain relief, healing of skin ulcerations, and prevention of high mortality risk. This emerging treatment and its success are relatively unknown to many physicians. The purpose of this report is to share with others the emerging role of
sodium thiosulfate and its new application as a treatment option to be used in combination with other treatment modalities for
calciphylaxis-calcific uremic arteriolopathy. Indeed, as with any new treatment this emerging
therapy should be studied in greater detail, but this old
drug seems to have a new life in the hands of treating physicians.