Lesión cutánea por radiación en angioplastía coronaria compleja / Cutaneous radiation injury after failed percutaneous coronary angioplasty

Resumen: Las lesiones cutáneas por radiación (LCR) son una complicación infrecuente, con un estimado de 3.600 casos de lesiones mayores reportados en la actualidad. Presentamos un caso de lesión eritematosa mayor por radiación posterior a angioplastía coronaria fallida y en segundo tiempo angioplastía coronaria con rotablación.

Abstract: Cutaneous radiation injuries are an infrequent complication, with an estimated 3.600 cases of major injuries reported up to now. We present a case of a major erythematous lesion induced by radiation after failed coronary angioplasty and consecutive coronary rotablation.

Alopecia rectangular transitoria post embolización de fístula carótido-cavernosa: reporte de caso y revisión de la literatura / Transient alopecia after embolization: case report and literature review

En la actualidad, los procedimientos de radiología intervencional intracraneanos son cada vez más frecuentes. Sin embargo, la exposición a altas dosis de radiación durante la fluoroscopía puede inducir a complicaciones cutáneas como la alopecia transitoria post embolización, forma peculiar de radiodermatitis que afecta a las regiones del cuero cabelludo que reciben dosis más altas de radiación durante el proceso de embolización. El cuadro clínico se caracteriza por alopecia completa, no cicatricial, en parches con bordes bien delimitados y formas peculiares(rectángulos, círculos superpuestos), generalmente de localización occipital o en región temporo-parietal. Ocurre en promedio 2 a 4 semanas después del procedimiento endovascular, con repoblación del área alopécica a partir de las 4 a 5 semanas. Es de buen pronóstico y no requiere tratamiento específico. Es importante conocer este cuadro para poder orientar adecuadamente a los pacientes y alertar respecto a la incidencia de efectos adversos de la radiación terapéutica.

In the present, the neuroradiological procedures are more frequent. However, exposure to radiation can conduce to dermatological complication as transient alopecia after embolization, rare form of radiodermatitis that affect the areas of the scalp that receive highest doses of radiation. The clinical presentation is characterized by a complete alopecia, without any signs of inflammation of the scalp, with sharply defined patches in rare forms (rectangular, overlapped circles), generally located on occipital or temporo-parietal region. This phenomenon starts after 2 or 4 weeks since endovascular procedure, with hair re-growth after 4 or 5 weeks. It has good prognosis and no specific treatment is required. It is important to recognize this condition, in order to give adequate information to patients and warn about the incidence of adverse effects of therapeutic radiation.

Reações tegumentares adversas relacionadas aos agentes antineoplásicos: parte II / Adverse mucocutaneous reactions related to chemotherapeutic agents: part II

Os eventos e reações envolvendo quimioterapia são frequentes na prática oncológica. Agentes quimioterápicos são uma modalidade de tratamento amplamente utilizada. Efeitos colaterais podem variar de frequência e também ser confundidos com outras manifestações tegumentares do tratamento oncológico. Este artigo objetiva expor as informações sobre reações cutâneas à quimioterapia, em especial, aqueles para os quais o dermatologista é requisitado a emitir parecer e a comentar sobre a segurança e a viabilidade da readministração de uma droga específica. Os autores descrevem os aspectos associados a esses eventos, fazendo uma análise detalhada de cada um deles.

Events and reactions involving chemotherapy are common in clinical oncology. Chemotherapeutic agents are widely used in therapy. Side effects range from the common to the rare and may be confused with other mucocutaneous manifestations resulting from the oncological treatment. The objective of this paper was to present data on skin reactions to chemotherapy, particularly those cases in which the dermatologist is requested to issue a report and asked to comment on the safety and viability of readministration of a specific drug. The authors describe aspects associated with these events, presenting a detailed analysis of each one of them.

Topical betamethasone for prevention of radiation dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Although acute radiation dermatitis (ARD) is a common side-effect of radiotherapy (RT), currently there is no general consensus about its prevention or treatment of choice. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether prophylactic use of topical betamethasone 0.1% can prevent ARD caused by chest wall irradiation. METHODS: Fifty-one patients who underwent modified radical mastectomy for breast cancer and were going to receive RT, were randomly assigned to receive topical betamethasone 0.1%, petrolatum or none during RT. The frequency and severity of ARD (measured using Radiation Therapy Oncology Group acute radiation morbidity scoring criteria) were recorded at the end of each week during RT and two weeks after its completion. Clinical outcomes were analyzed by relevant statistical methods. RESULTS: All patients developed some degree of ARD, the frequency and severity of which increased with time and reached the maximum at the end of the seventh week for all groups. Patients receiving betamethasone had less severe ARD than the other two groups throughout the course of the study, but this difference was significant only at the end of the third week (p = 0.027). No significant difference was observed between the petrolatum and control arms. CONCLUSION: Prophylactic and ongoing use of topical betamethasone 0.1% during chest wall RT for breast cancer delays occurrence of ARD but does not prevent it. Petrolatum has no effect on the prevention of ARD in these patients.

[Topical Calendula and Betamethasone Valerate in the prevention of acute radiation dermatitis: a randomized prospective trial]

Acute radiation dermatitis is a very common side effect of radiation therapy for many cancers, including breast cancer. Despite the high prevalence of acute radiation dermatitis as well as wet desquamation, only a few trials studying the prophylaxis of this complication using topical treatment have been conducted. In spite of these studies, some controversy still exists about regarding treatments for acute radiation dermatitis, as does some concern about their long-term complications. For this reason, we conducted a clinical trial for a new treatment with the same effectiveness as corticosteroids, but fewer complications. This trial included 60 patients with pathologic diagnoses of breast cancer for whom radiotherapy had been planned. Patients were 30-73 years old. Patients with radical mastectomy received 5000 cGy over five weeks, and those with conservative surgery received 6000 cGy over six weeks divided in 200 cGy fractions. Patients were divided randomly into two groups: one group received a moderately-potent glucocorticoid steroid, 0.1% betamethasone ointment [30], and the other received the new treatment, 0.1% calendula ointment [30]. All patients applied their respective drugs twice daily within the tangential field from the first day of radiation treatment until one month after treatment was completed. Starting one week after radiation therapy commenced, patients were monitored weekly for symptoms of dermatitis and the degree of severity as well as possible adverse drug effects, in addition to such monitoring on the days of their appointments. Four weeks after termination of therapy, patients were again examined, at which time they completed a questionnaire about dermatologic complications. The mean time to develop dermatitis was 3.7 weeks for the betamethasone group and 3.87 weeks for the calendula group. Maximal dermatitis intensity during treatment in the betamethasone group was: 0, 6.7%; I, 73.3%; II, 16.7%; III, 0%; IV, 3.3%. Dermatitis intensity in the calendula group was: 0, 13.3%; I, 67%; II, 16.7%; III, 0%; IV, 3.3%. No significant differences were observed in the incidence of symptoms such as burning, pruritus and pain between the two groups [p=0.762]. Calendula ointment is as effective as betamethasone in reducing acute radiation dermatitis

Acute effects of postmastectomy radiotherapy after immediate TRAM flap reconstruction in breast cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: To study the acute effects of radiotherapy after mastectomy and immediate transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap reconstruction in breast cancer patients treated at Ramathibodi Hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between January 2004 and March 2005, ten breast cancer patients (age 32-51 years) were treated with postoperative radiotherapy after mastectomy and immediate TRAM flap reconstruction. Medical records of these patients were retrospectively reviewed. Radiotherapy was delivered to the chest wall and reconstructed TRAM flap using 6-MV x-ray or Cobalt-60. The total dose was 45 to 50.4 Gy delivered in 25 to 28 fractions. Patients were evaluated weekly during the course of radiation and then at 1 and 2 months after treatment completion to determine acute effects or toxicities of radiation. RESULTS: During radiation, 3 patients developed erythema or mild hyperpigmentation of the skin, and 4 developed moderate hyperpigmentation. Three patients who were treated with Cobalt-60 and/or bolus to the chest wall developed skin desquamation (1 dry desquamation, 2 moist desquamation). No patient required a treatment break because of acute side effects. One patient who received chemotherapy after radiation developed recalled moist desquamation. CONCLUSION: Radiotherapy after mastectomy and immediate TRAM flap reconstruction is well tolerated and is not associated with increased acute complication or radiation interruption. The authors have noticed that chemotherapy given after radiation was related to severe skin reaction, so it should be used with caution.

Uma exposição acidental aos raios X de um difratômetro / Accidental exposure to the X-ray of a diffractometer

As mãos de três trabalhadores foram irradiadas acidentalmente numa indústria em Camaçari, Estado da Bahia, Brasil. O diagnóstico clínico de radiodermite aguda foi possível, antes mesmo da confirmação dosimétrica da ocorrência, em virtude das manifestações cutâneas exibidas, precedidas por um eritema, e também pelas histórias ocupacionais. As avaliações das doses recebidas pelos acidentados, usando-se restituições com dosímetros termoluminescentes, tiveram boa correlação com as doses estimadas em função das manifestações clínicas. A causa imediata do acidente foi a má manutenção do equipamento que levou a sua janela posterior a ficar permanentemente aberta, porém foram fatores contributórios importantes a falta de informação dos empregados sobre os possíveis efeitos biológicos das radiações ionizantes e o não seguimento dos procedimentos operacionais corretos. A descrição deste acidente é importante, face ao grande número de difratômetros existentes em laboratórios, universidades, centros de pesquisa e indústrias. Tais aparelhos são considerados "virtualmente isentos de risco ocupacional", o que não é verdadeiro, como comprova a ocorrência que descrevemos. A evolução médica dos pacientes tem sido satisfatória, especialmente em virtude da baixa energia do feixe de raios X do difratômetro e, em conseqüência, da sua pequena penetração tissular.