Case for diagnosis. Suppurative nodule or something deeper?

Abstract: The authors report the case of a 62-year-old man with a history of total left hip arthroplasty nine years previously presenting with a large infiltrated plaque on the posterior area of the left thigh with three months of evolution without systemic symptoms or elevated inflammatory markers. Computed tomography of the left lower limb revealed a 12-centimeter linear extension of the lesion to the posterior part of the left proximal femur. Prosthesis joint infection, although rare, is a surgical complication to be taken into account, even if the surgery was performed many years before.

Reconstrução de defeitos cirúrgicos da ponta nasal em único tempo cirúrgico / Reconstructing surgical defects of the nasal tip in a single-stage procedure

A reconstrução de defeitos cirúrgicos envolvendo a subunidade da ponta nasal coloca desafios particulares já que essa região é rodeada de pele de difícil mobilização. O retalho de Peng é retalho cutâneo passível de ser executado num único tempo cirúrgico que ultrapassa essa dificuldade mobilizando pele do dorso e das vertentes laterais do nariz. O seu desenho permite alcançar forma tridimensional adaptada à configuração da ponta nasal e produz excelentes resultados estéticos. Descreve-se a realização de uma modificação do retalho de Peng em único tempo cirúrgico, em três pacientes submetidos a excisão de carcinomas basocelulares.

Repairing surgical defects of the nasal tip is challenging, mainly because of the lack of freely mobile skin available peripherally. The Peng flap is a one-stage cutaneous flap that circumvents this difficulty by recruiting skin from the nasal dorsum and sidewall regions. The design produces a tridimensional shape perfectly adapted to the conFiguretion of the nasal tip and allows for an inconspicuous closure of the defect. Herein, we describe a modified version of a Peng flap in a single-stage procedure, performed in three patients subjected to excison of basal cell carcinomas.

Case for diagnosis / Caso para diagnostico

Ketron-Goodman disease was formerly considered a disseminated type of pagetoid reticulosis. However, according to the new classification consensus, it should be regarded as aggressive epidermotropic CD8 T-cutaneous lymphoma, cutaneous gamma/delta T-lymphoma, or tumor-stage mycosis fungoides, depending on the clinical-histological picture. This case highlights a rare and challenging presentation of Ketron-Goodman disease with an indolent presentation and evolution and good response to a low-grade treatment regimen, not fitting well into the new classification criteria.

A doença de Ketron-Goodman foi inicialmente considerada uma forma disseminada de reticulose pagetóide. Mas, de acordo com o atual sistema de classificação e dependendo do quadro clínico-patológico deve ser antes vista como um linfoma T CD8 agressivo epidermotrópico, linfoma T gama/delta ou micose fungóide, estadio tumoral. Pretendemos realçar esta doença rara que pode suscitar dúvidas no diagnóstico. Neste caso, a apresentação e evolução foram indolentes com boa resposta a um tratamento pouco agressivo, não se enquadrando bem nas novas propostas de classificação da doença.

Case for diagnosis / Caso para diagnóstico

Riga-Fede disease is a rare, benign disorder characterized by reactive ulceration of the oral mucosa associated with repetitive dental traumatism. It was first described in children with neurologic disorders and is very rare in adults. This case report describes the occurrence of a large ulcer of the tongue, resembling squamous cell carcinoma, in an adult with hemiparesis. The lesion cleared after neurologic recovery. This case highlights the importance of considering this disorder in the differential diagnosis of oral mucosal ulcerations.

A doença de Riga-Fede caracteriza-se por ulceração reativa da mucosa oral associada ao traumatismo dentário repetitivo. Foi inicialmente descrita em crianças com déficit neurológico, sendo muito rara em adultos. O presente caso descreve o aparecimento de uma úlcera grande, semelhante ao carcinoma espinocelular, na língua de um adulto com hemiparesia. A lesão teve resolução completa após a recuperação neurológica. O caso salienta a importância de considerar esta doença no diagnóstico diferencial das úlceras da mucosa oral.

Thrombophilia in venous leg ulcers: A comparative study in early and later onset.

Background: Several studies found that the patients with chronic venous ulcers (CVU) have an increased prevalence of thrombophilia (44-75%), similar to that observed in deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The patients who develop CVU before their 50 th birthday appear to represent a distinct group in terms of etiology, natural history and prognosis. Aim: To analyze the nature and prevalence of thrombophilia in patients with early onset of CVU (before 50-years old) compared with a group of patients with later onset. Methods: Twenty-seven consecutive patients of each group were studied . They underwent clinical assessment and blood testing for factor V Leiden, prothrombin G20210A, methyltetrahydrofolate reductase C677T, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) mutations, antithrombin, proteins C and S levels, and also antiphospholipid antibodies (anticardiolipin antibodies and lupus anticoagulant), cryoglobulins and cryoagglutinins. Results: All the patients had at least one thrombophilia. The prevalences of single, 2 and ≥3 thrombophilias were 29.6%, 40.7% and 29.6%, respectively, in the early onset group, compared with 33.3%, 59.2% and 7.4% in the later onset group. The PAI-1 4G/4G homozygous mutation was significantly more common in patients with early onset of ulcer. The prevalences of factor V Leiden, prothrombin G20210A, elevated titer of antiphospholipid antibodies and the presence of cryoglobulins were higher in the early onset group, although the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion : Our study brings evidence of a higher thrombophilic risk among the patients with early onset of the CVU as they had significantly higher prevalence of multiple (≥3) thrombophilias (P=0.03), homozygous mutations (P=0.03) and family history of leg ulcer (P=0.02) when compared with patients with later onset. Thrombophilia screening is important in patients with CVU before the age of 50 in order to stratify the thrombotic risk and to allow an appropriate prophylactic and therapeutic management.

Retalho de rotação para fechamentos de defeitos cirúrgicos nos dorsos das mãos / Rotation flap for closure of surgical defect on the black of the hand

Os tumores malignos são relativamente frequentes no dorso da mão. A excisão destas lesões pode resultar num defeito cirúrgico de grandes dimensões não passível de encerramento directo, pelo que, a sua reconstrução pode constituir um desafio para o cirurgião. Podem ser utilizadas várias técnicas reconstrutivas para este efeito. Descrevemos a aplicação de um retalho de rotação para encerramento de um defeito do dorso da mão secundário à exérese de um queratoacantoma e explicamos os príncipios e as vantagens desta técnica.

Malignant tumors are relatively common on the dorsum of the hand. Excision of such lesions may result in a large defect not suitable for direct closure, and its reconstruction often represents a challenge for the hand surgeon. Several reconstructive techniques can be used to close this defect. We herein describe the application of a rotation flap for closure of a defect on the dorsum of the hand secondary to excision of a keratoacanthoma, and explain the principles and advantages of this technique.