ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the case study of a 54-year-old woman. A 54-year-old woman presents to the dermatology out-patient clinic with a two-year history of a gradual tightening of the skin over her fingers, forearms and legs. She also describes intermittent swelling of the hands and feet. Since her early 30s she had experienced pain in her digits on exposure to cold weather. Over the past few months she had noticed shortness of breath on exertion. The skin over her fingers and hands appears oedematous, waxy, shiny, and indurated; normal skin elasticity has been lost. The distal fingers appear tapered and there is a small ulcer present on one of her finger pulps. She has periorbital oedema and evidence of facial telangiectasia. On respiratory examination there are fine inspiratory crackles in the bilateral lower zone. Management of systemic sclerosis is challenging with as yet no cure.
