Clinical and Histopathological Study on the Membranocystic Changes in the Panniculitis / 대한피부과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Membranocystic change represents a distinctive form of pathology in adipose tissue. It has been observed in a variety of inflammatory and noninflammatory dermatoses. OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to find the clinical and histopathological features of membranocystic change in the panniculitis and we attempted to review the pathogenesis. METHODS: We reviewed medical records, clinical photographs, and histopatologic findings of 14 patients having membranocystic changes in biopsy specimen. RESULTS: (1) There was a female predominance (79%). (2) The most common primary lesions were the subcutaneous nodules and the most predilection sites were the lower legs. (3) The underlying diseases were variable such as erythema nodosum, lipoatrophy, sparganosis, sporotrichosis, accelerated nodulosis, necrobiosis lipoidica, periarteritis nodosa, tibial artery stenosis, dermatomyositis, lupus erythematosus profundus, oil granuloma and nodulocystic fat necrosis. (4)The membranes of cyst were positive with periodic acid-Schiff stain with diastase and sudan black B. Fluorescence examination gave a yellow autofluorescence. These findings indicated the lining materials were ceroid. CONCLUSION: Membranocystic change appears to be entirely nonspecific and may be seen in many types of the subcutaneous inflammatory process. Although ischemic insult has received the most attention in dermatologic literature as the primary cause, it is likely that this change results from various insults to adipose tissue, including infectious, autoimmune, and physical processes.