Acral Myxoinflammatory Fibroblastic Sarcoma: Report of a Case and Treatment with Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

Acral myxoinflammatory fibroblastic sarcoma (AMFS) represents a low-grade sarcoma with a high rate of local recurrence that commonly affects the distal extremities. The lesion often presents as a painless mass in the hands or feet. There is no formal standardized treatment protocol for this tumor, but wide surgical excision, with or without adjuvant radiation therapy, is the conventional treatment. We report a case of a patient with an AMFS treated with Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) without recurrence. Because of the propensity of this tumor to involve acral sites where tissue conservation is important, MMS might be an alternative treatment modality for this rare entity.

Prolonged Periorbicular Edema After Injection of Hyaluronic Acid for Nasojugal Groove Correction.

The injection of hyaluronic acid (HA), a naturally occurring biopolymer, is a common cosmetic procedure. Despite their efficacy and growing adaptation by the medical community, HA fillers occasionally give rise to adverse events. Adverse events from HA fillers range from temporary, such as edema and erythema, to more long-term effects, including granulomas or, in rare cases, sequelae from vascular occlusion. Here, we present a case of a 61-year-old Caucasian woman with prolonged infraorbital hollow edema after injection of HA filler for nasojugal groove correction. We review the anatomy of the nasojugal area and differing injection techniques as a possible explanation for the development of prolonged edema. Similarly, the rheological properties of the specific hyaluronic acid used during this procedure might be crucial in the development of this complication.

Pernio as the presenting sign of blast crisis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

A previously healthy 5-year-old girl presented with acute onset of blue toes and red spots on the nose and fingers. The striking nature of these lesions, along with the finding of submandibular lymphadenopathy, prompted further evaluation. Laboratory findings were remarkable for anemia, high transaminase levels, and high blast count. Histopathologic findings were consistent with early pernio. Further examination revealed acute B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia. Treatment of the leukemia led to resolution of the pernio.

First report of mesalamine (5-aminosalicylic acid) as the causative agent in a case of acute generalized exanthamous pustulosis.

Acute generalized exanthamous pustulosis (AGEP)is a rare eruption of non-follicular sterile pustuleson a diffuse background of erythema and edema,commonly associated with fever and leukocytosis.Antibiotics are implicated in most cases; however,other drugs have been reported to cause AGEP. Wereport a case of a 73-year-old man with a historyof ulcerative colitis who presented with a diffusepustular rash, renal failure, elevated liver functiontests, and leukocytosis with neutrophilia. A week priorto admission, the patient was started on mesalamineto treat colitis. Upon admission, a workup includinga skin biopsy was performed and was consistentwith AGEP. Mesalamine was discontinued, and thepatient's skin eruption, renal function, liver functiontests, and leukocytosis subsequently improved.Mesalamine has an unknown mechanism of action.However, it is thought to be an anti-inflammatoryagent that blocks the production of leukotrienesand prostaglandins and is an immunosuppressantthat increases the release of adenosine, whichinterferes with leukocyte function. The decrease inprostaglandin synthesis or deregulation of leukocytefunction caused by mesalamine may be the etiologyin this case. Discontinuation of the offending agentleads to resolution of AGEP, as it did in this patient.

A Review of Local Anesthetics: Minimizing Risk and Side Effects in Cutaneous Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The specialty of dermatology relies heavily on local anesthesia for diagnosis and management of skin disease. The appropriate selection, preparation, administration, and monitoring of these medications affect surgical outcome and patient safety and satisfaction. OBJECTIVE: To perform a comprehensive literature review of the side effects and risks associated with local anesthetics used in cutaneous surgery. Current recommendations to reduce risk and minimize side effects are reviewed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive review of the English-language medical literature search was performed. RESULTS: No current review articles of the side effects and risks of local anesthetics were identified. This review serves to discuss local anesthetics commonly used in dermatology and cutaneous surgery along with practical information regarding prevention of adverse outcomes and addressing local and systemic reactions when they arise. CONCLUSION: Local anesthetics commonly used in cutaneous surgery have potential risks and side effects. Appropriate selection and utilization of local anesthetics and knowledge of the means to prevent and address these risks can impact surgical outcomes, patient satisfaction and safety, and ultimately patient experience in the dermatology clinic.

Scattered atypical melanocytes with hyperchromatic nuclei in the nail matrix: diagnostic clue for early subungual melanoma in situ.

BACKGROUND: The lack of highly specific clinical and histopathological criteria has contributed to the delay in diagnosis of subungual melanoma in situ in its early stages. METHODS: Eighteen cases of subungual melanoma in situ, the largest series reported to date, were analyzed to characterize the clinical and histopathological findings of early stages of subungual melanoma in situ along with five cases of nail matrix nevus and five cases of subungual lentigo serving as histologic control. RESULTS: Clinically, longitudinal melanonychia was present in all 18 cases of subungual melanoma in situ, consisting of irregular dark brown to black streaks within a brown background with (11 cases) or without Hutchinson's sign. Histopathologically, variable shaped and sized, hyperchromatic nuclei surrounded by retraction artifact were present in all cases. Nine cases showed a significant increase in the number of atypical melanocytes with marked nuclear atypia, while the rest of the cases showed less noticeable changes in nail matrix including lower density of melanocytes and/or mild nuclear atypia. In 15 cases, the nuclear enlargement in some of the melanocytes was greater than two times that of the neighboring matrix cells. In the remaining three cases, the nuclei were enlarged to a much lesser degree. All cases displayed areas of haphazard and uneven distribution of solitary melanocytes and, although not observed in all cases, some degree of pagetoid spread was present in majority of the cases. In contrast, nail matrix nevi showed well-formed nests consisting of relatively monomorphous melanocytes with abundant cytoplasm and subungual lentigos consisted of subtle increase in the number of dendritic melanocytes in solitary units within the lower layers of the nail matrix. CONCLUSION: Increase in the number of scattered atypical melanocytes with large hyperchromatic nuclei in a partial nail matrix may provide a diagnostic clue to subungual melanoma in situ in concert with its clinical suspicion.

Calciphylaxis: a case series and the role of radiology in diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Calciphylaxis is a syndrome of vascular calcification most commonly affecting patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) on hemodialysis. Because of its high mortality rate, early diagnosis and treatment are necessary. Although diagnosis is usually based on skin biopsy, histopathology is often nonspecific. As the role of imaging in calciphylaxis has not been studied extensively, we examined the utility of radiology in the diagnosis of this disease. METHODS: A thorough review of electronic medical records for 2005-2013 at Loyola University Medical Center yielded 10 patients with biopsy-proven calciphylaxis. Using the radiological picture archiving and communication system (PACS), all imaging studies of the affected body part obtained within 6 months of diagnosis were analyzed and tabulated. RESULTS: All 10 patients had undergone imaging (computed tomography, ultrasound, plain radiography, and/or mammography) of the affected anatomy prior to diagnosis by skin biopsy. Nine of these patients were noted to have moderate-to-severe soft tissue vascular calcification in the area of skin biopsy. CONCLUSIONS: This case series supports the suggestion that findings of superficial vascular calcifications on imaging studies are sensitive for the diagnosis of calciphylaxis. Used in conjunction with histopathological, clinical, and laboratory data, radiology can serve an important role in the diagnosis of calciphylaxis.

Enhancing dermatology education: resident presentation opportunities.

Dermatology residency is a time to maximize educational experiences, which include opportunities to attend academic meetings and present research and clinical cases. In this article, resident presentation opportunities at major academic dermatology meetings are reviewed.

Minimize that "pinch and burn": tips and tricks to reduce injection pain with local anesthetics.

Local anesthetics are commonly utilized in the practice of dermatology. Minimizing local anesthetic injection pain can be beneficial to both physicians and patients. Easily implemented techniques that reduce injection pain of intralesional local anesthetics are reviewed.

The Value of the Black Box Warning in Dermatology.

Boxed, or "black box" warnings are issued by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) as a means to label drugs associated with serious adverse events. However, there is no clear metric to determine how and when the boxed warning is applied. Inconsistencies in the review process, language, timing, and dissemination of these warnings impact dermatologists and their patients. Appropriate patient selection and monitoring can help minimize risk to patients when prescribing drugs with boxed warnings. Future changes in the manner in which the boxed warning is issued and in its subsequent clinical application may improve the utility of these warnings for dermatologists and ultimately, patient safety.

Fellowships after dermatology residency: the traditional and beyond.

Postresidency fellowship training options exist for graduating dermatology residents. Formal subspecialty fellowship programs are offered in dermatopathology, pediatric dermatology, micrographic surgery and dermatologic oncology (procedural dermatology), and cosmetic dermatologic surgery. There also are a number of fellowships offered at certain institutions for those interested in more specific subspecialties or academia. This guide serves to assist dermatology residents in learning more about fellowship opportunities.

Resident guide to advocacy in dermatology.

Many opportunities exist for residents to get involved in advocacy in dermatology, from national to grassroots levels. Residents also should be aware of opportunities to get involved in patient advocacy and become familiar with the myriad of patient advocacy groups that exist. These groups offer support and education for patients and initiate research efforts for specific dermatologic conditions that provide support for patients beyond what can be offered during a standard office visit. The value of resident involvement in advocacy also is discussed.

Clinical course of segmental vitiligo: a retrospective study of eighty-seven patients.

BACKGROUND: Vitiligo is an acquired disorder characterized by a progressive loss of melanocytes, which is difficult to manage and has an unknown prognosis. The subtype of segmental vitiligo (SV) has been established but it has not been adequately characterized. OBJECTIVE: To collect long-term follow-up data for evaluating the clinical course of SV. METHODS: This study included 87 patients who were diagnosed with SV and were monitored at a clinic. Patients were classified into the following three groups according to disease activity. RESULTS: Among the patients with SV, 63.2% had stable disease, 14.9% had disease recurrence between two and four years after disease onset, and 21.8% had disease recurrence at four or more than four years after disease onset. Among the 44 patients (50.2%) who were monitored continuously over a four-year period, 19 (43.2%) experienced a recurrence at four or more than four years after disease onset. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that, contrary to previous reports, some patients with SV may not experience disease stability over an extended period of time. Disease recurrence can occur after years of stability, and we propose that long-term follow-up data can be used to characterize SV. This information about the clinical course of SV has implications for treatment and prognosis.

Use of psychotropic drugs in dermatology: unique perspectives of a dermatologist and a psychiatrist.

Psychocutaneous morbidity is commonly found in dermatologic practice. Patients generally refuse referral to psychiatry, and dermatologists cannot always provide psychotherapeutic support. By establishing an alliance with these patients and with working knowledge of the common psychotherapeutic agents used in dermatology, these patients can be managed comfortably by the clinician. The major categories of psychodermatologic agents include antipsychotics, antidepressants, anxiolytics, and antiobsessive compulsive drugs. In addition, cutaneous dysesthesia and pruritus can be treated with psychotherapeutic agents when other treatments have been exhausted. The motivated dermatologist can apply this knowledge to treat these common yet challenging cases.

Instant barrier repair: A pilot study investigating occlusion with a new hydrogel patch for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.

The ideal repair mechanism for overcoming barrier disruption in atopic dermatitis (AD) needs to completely eliminate microbe and allergen penetration as well as transepidermal water loss. We propose the hydrogel patch as an innovative approach to complete barrier repair. It is composed of an adhesive, thin, flexible, hydrogel layer on an impermeable urethane surface. We conducted a 6-week pilot study with 15 AD patients, who applied the hydrogel patch over one lesion for 6-8 h daily and triamcinolone (TAC) 0.1% cream twice daily to another lesion. Results after 2-week no treatment follow-up showed hydrogel patch had notable efficacy, and comparable to TAC 0.1% cream. Larger studies are needed to validate these results.

Brighter eyes: combined upper cheek and tear trough augmentation: a systematic approach utilizing two complementary hyaluronic acid fillers.

Non-surgical rejuvenation of the periorbital-cheek complex can be effectively and safely accomplished using a combination of two hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers with distinct viscosities. We present a series of 21 patients with mild to moderate tear trough deformities who were treated with concomitant injection of two dermal fillers (Restylane® and Perlane®). Procedural technique entailed micro-depot injections of the finer viscosity HA into the sub-muscular plane along the orbital rim followed by manual massage. Secondly, injections of the thicker, more firm HA were placed in the sub-muscular and/or deep dermal spaces in the upper malar and lateral zygomatic areas and in the medial aspect of the temporal fossa. On average 0.5 mL Restylane and 0.5 mL Perlane were used per side. Statistically significant improvement in modified Wrinkle Severity Rating Scale scores was seen at 20 weeks. Overall improvement in modified Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale scores occurred in 20 out of 21 patients. Mean patient satisfaction scores increased by 2 grades relative to baseline. Patients' self-reported overall mean improvement was 2.23, indicating moderate (26% to 50%) to good (51% to 75%) improvement. Side effects were limited to transient bruising and swelling. No patients required dissolution of injectant with hyaluronidase. Overall, this combination filler procedure was found to produce both statistically significant and clinically apparent improvement and was associated with an extremely high degree of patient satisfaction.