Abstract
Tumoural calcinosis is characterized by deposits of calcium phosphate crystals in soft tissue. These crystals, mainly hydroxyapatite, infiltrate tissue and make complete resection difficult because hydroxyapatite is essentially insoluble. We introduced bicarbonate Ringer's solution (HCO₃(-) 28 mEq/L) as local adjuvant therapy. Our patient was a 69-year-old woman with a 6-month history of a gradually enlarging solid sacral mass. After resection of the calcified material, the operative field was repeatedly washed with bicarbonate Ringer's solution to remove residual calcium phosphate from the wall of the pseudocyst. The solution had a pH of 7.0 and an osmotic pressure of ~1.0 atm, similar to extracellular fluid. Local irrigation with bicarbonate Ringer's solution appeared effective for removing residual deposits in idiopathic solitary tumoural calcinosis.