Caffey disease was first reported in 1945 by Caffey and Silverman. The disease is a rare and poorly understood disorder, characterized by painful soft tissue swelling and cortical thickening of the underlying bones. Its principal features also include the onset time, usually in the early part of the 1st year of life, more than one site of soft tissue swelling, and multiple scattered hyperostosis. The radiological differential diagnosis should include Osteomyelitis, Vitamin A Intoxication, Scurvy, Syphilis, Osteosarcoma and battered Child Syndrome.
Our patient, 3 and half months old baby girl had radius and ulna of both upper limb and the right femur, tibia and fibula of lower limb were involved. The soft tissue swelling was accompanied with cellulites. On investigation of Doppler USG and X-ray of limbs revealed the diagnosis. The treatment is generally symptomatic and most patients recover without any deformity. Vitamin C was given to the baby as recommended.
By
Dr. Nirmal Kumar Mohakud (Asso. Prof.);
Dr. Bibhudutta Sahoo (Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon;
& Dr. Bala Praneeth Reddy (PG Paediatrics)
KIMS, Bhubaneswar