Liposuction of Postmastectomy Arm Lymphedema Decreases the Incidence of Erysipelas.

The objective of this study was to assess erysipelas incidence before and after liposuction treatment for patients suffering from post-mastectomy lymphedema. A prospective cohort study of 130 patients at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö, Sweden with postmastectomy arm lymphedema, who had poor outcomes from prior conservative treatment and clinical signs of subcutaneous adipose tissue hypertrophy, underwent liposuction between 1993-2012. Pre- and postoperative incident data on erysipelas were available for all of them. Mean duration of lymphedema prior to liposuction was 8.8 years (range1-38, standard deviation (SD) 7.0 years). Mean age at liposuction was 63 years (range 39-89, SD 10 years). Total pre-liposuction observation years were 1147, and total post-liposuction observation years were 983. Erysipelas incidence dropped significantly (p<0.001) from 0.47 attacks/year (range 0-5.0, SD 0.8 attacks/year) to 0.06 attacks/year (range 0-3.0, SD 0.3 attacks/year) after liposuction, a reduction of 87%. Also, compared to 76 patients who experienced at least 1 erysipelas episode preoperatively, only 13 patients experienced erysipelas postoperatively. Of the 54 patients who did not have erysipelas preoperatively, 6 patients had erysipelas postoperatively. The total number of erysipelas attacks observed decreased from 534 to 60 bouts after liposuction. The excess arm volume of 1607 ml (range 570-3950, SD 707) was reduced to -43 ml (range -945 to 1390, SD 379) after 6 months and was maintained during the postoperative follow-up period of, at most, 18 years. Our data suggest that liposuction can significantly reduce incidence of erysipelas in patients with post mastectomy arm lymphedema who prior to the intervention suffered one or more attacks.

Study of frontal hairline patterns in Spanish Caucasian women.

BACKGROUND: Anterior hairline measurements and their possible relationship with androgen levels, sebum production, and skin hydration have not been reported in white Spanish women. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This was a prospective descriptive and analytical observational study conducted on 103 healthy premenopausal white Spanish women recruited from the health staff of Hospital Universitario Virgen Macarena in Seville, Spain. Measurements were made of anterior hairline implantation, sebum levels, and the degree of hydration of the stratum corneum. Androgen levels were also determined in 50 volunteers from this group 3 to 5 days after the end of the menstrual cycle. RESULTS: The mean age of the women was 29.7 years. A widow's peak was observed in 94.17% of the group. The mean dimensions of the widow's peak were a height of 1.01 cm and width of 2.13 cm. The mean hormone levels were within normal limits for our hospital's laboratory with the exception of 17-hydroxyprogesterone, with a mean level of 1.39 ng/mL (range, 0.6-5.9ng/mL; normal limits, 0.15-1.10 ng/mL). The mean prostate specific antigen level was 0.04ng/mL (range 0.02-0.08ng/mL; normal limits, 0.00-0.02ng/mL). CONCLUSIONS: The hairline measurements of the white Spanish women in this study differ from those reported in American women. Knowledge of this normal pattern of anterior hairline implantation can be important in the evaluation of women with female androgenetic alopecia with male pattern, frontal fibrosing alopecia, or other established scarring alopecia seeking a surgical solution by hair transplantation.

Dermatitis artefacta of the breast: a retrospective analysis of 27 patients (1976-2006).

BACKGROUND: Dermatitis artefacta (DA) is defined as all dermatological, self-inflicted skin lesions, where the patient denies having produced the lesions. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to make a single-centre retrospective clinical review of patients diagnosed as DA of the breast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: During a 30-year period (1976-2006), patients diagnosed as DA of the breast, seen in the Department of Dermatology of the Virgen Macarena Hospital in Seville, were recorded. Clinical and epidemiological features are described. RESULTS: A total of 27 women with a mean age of 34.33 years were selected representing 13.43% of the total of DA patients recorded (n=201) in this period. The most frequent clinical forms were: excoriations (nine patients, 33.33%) and ulcers (nine patients, 33.33%), followed by burns (six patients, 22.22%), blisters (one patient, 3.70%), contact dermatitis (one patient, 3.70%) and haematomas (one patient, 3.70%). Ten of the cases were located exclusively on the breasts, whereas 17 had also other locations such as face in seven cases, arms in five cases, abdomen in five cases and the entire body in two cases. Cutaneous lesions were treated with occlusive bandages using zinc paste or plaster splint when necessary. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the major series of DA of the breast studied. This complicated psychodermatological condition requires a correct diagnosis, appropriate management and psychiatric assessment.