Sclerema neonatorum after therapeutic whole-body hypothermia.

Hypothermia is being studied as a neuroprotective therapy after asphyxia. This report is about a term newborn with severe asphyxia who underwent systemic hypothermia (34.5 degrees C) for 72 h. He survived without apparent brain damage but developed sclerema on his back, in the area in contact with the cooling mattress. The sclerema resolved without scarring after three months.