Spinal Dysraphism Presenting as Neuropathic Ulcers: A Case Report of a Delayed Diagnosis.

Spinal dysraphism (SD) refers to the abnormal fusion of dorsal midline structures during embryogenesis. It encompasses a variety of congenital spinal defects, ranging from an overt defect in which neural tissue is exposed with no overlying skin (open SD) such as myelomeningoceles to skin-covered malformations (closed or occult SD). A 13-year-old boy presented with recurrent multiple painless ulcers and erosions over the tips of the toes, mainly involving the right foot with hemorrhagic crusts for 5 years. A review of systems revealed back pain, urine incontinence, and numbness in his right knee. He was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathic ulcers and tethered cord syndrome secondary to SD and confirmed by MRI. He underwent cord detethering and lipoma resection as well as expectant therapy with satisfying outcomes. Physicians should consider early diagnosis of SD to avoid later neurological complications of SD (traction and/or pressure on the spinal cord) when infants are presented with such anomalies: MRI, close follow-up, and neurosurgical intervention may be recommended.

Atypical Juvenile Pityriasis Rubra Pilaris: A Case Report of Early Onset With Late Diagnosis.

Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is a rare inflammatory papulosquamous skin disease that has six distinct types. Type 5 PRP is called atypical juvenile PRP. Here we report the case of a 17-year-old boy with insignificant past medical history presenting with a history of persistent slowly progressing very itchy skin lesions since the age of seven years. The lesions were photoaggravated. No similar cases in the family were observed and the parents were not consanguint. Skin examination revealed scaly erythematous patches, papules and plaques all over his body. There were also ichthyosiform-like scales covering the whole body. Hair, nails, and mucus membranes examinations were normal. A 4-mm punch skin biopsy was taken. The dermis revealed hyperkeratosis with checkerboard pattern of orthokeratosis and parakeratosis, the granular layer was preserved and acanthosis with thick and short rete ridges. The dermis showed mild perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates. On the basis of the above clinicopathological findings, the diagnosis of pityriasis rubra pilaris (atypical juvenile type) (type 5) was made. The patient was started on isotretinoin capsule 20 mg twice a day and placed under periodic follow-up.

Confluent and Reticulated Papillomatosis of Gougerot and Carteaud: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Confluent and reticulated papillomatosis (CARP) of Gougerot and Carteaud is a rare chronic disease with exacerbation and remissions typically affecting young people. Classic clinical characteristics include asymptomatic scaly hyperpigmented macules, patches, and papules in the trunk's confluent and reticular pattern. A 12-year-old girl, otherwise healthy, presented with itchy, persistent skin lesions all over her body for one year. Skin examination revealed generalized scaly brownish patches, thin papules, and plaques all over her body, including her face, neck, middle of the chest, abdomen, back, upper extremities, elbows, lower extremities, and knees. Wood's lamp examination of her skin lesions was unrevealing. Skin biopsy showed papillomatosis, hyperkeratosis, acanthosis, and hypergranulosis. The dermis showed perivascular inflammatory cellular infiltrate. Based on the above clinicopathological findings, the patient was diagnosed with CARP. In our case, a generalized form was reported. CARP is diagnosed based on clinical and histopathological features. Oral antibiotics are the cornerstone of treatment. Our patient responded well to oral minocycline 85 mg one tablet daily, tacrolimus 0.1% ointment twice daily, and selenium sulfide shampoo twice weekly for two months. The classic clinical characteristics of CARP include asymptomatic scaly hyperpigmented macules, patches, and papules in a confluent and reticular pattern on the trunk. A generalized form, as in our case, has been reported. CARP is diagnosed based on clinical and histopathological features. Oral antibiotics are the cornerstone of treatment.

King Faisal International Prize for Medicine.

This is a brief commentary about the King Faisal International Prize for Medicine and its previous winners.

Dermatological publications in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. An analysis of 1966-2004 Medline papers.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the publications in dermatology cited in the Medline from 6 countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) from 1966 to 2004. METHODS: Medline was searched with the aid of Internet provider Pubmed using the same strategy at a given time for all countries. RESULTS: At the time of search, the Medline listed biomedical research papers from the GCC countries totaled 12837. Of these, 140 were in Dermatology. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia followed by Kuwait was by far the most prolific contributor, whereas almost none were noted from Bahrain. The publications were highest during the year 2002 (19) followed by 2003 (13), most of them being in the English language in the International Journal of Dermatology (60 citations) and Pediatric Dermatology (13 citations). CONCLUSION: Though the GCC countries have seen a relatively small period in the history of development of medical research, data show that they are trying to keep pace with the rest of the developed world. What remains to be exploited is their good economy that should be directed to provide better infrastructure and improve the quality of training programs. Professional societies within the region must play an active role in ensuring optimum and judicious use of funds.

Skin cancers in Western Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: A retrospective analysis of skin cancers in a major referral centre in Taif region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, (KSA). METHODS: The case records of all malignant skin cancers diagnosed during a 10 year period, from 1992 through to 2001 were taken for the study. The clinical and histopathological details were noted. These were compared to reports from the rest of KSA and other countries. RESULTS: One hundred and four cases of malignant skin lesions including primary and metastatic tumors were seen. The majority were Saudis. The male to female ratio was 2.25:1. Most of the patients were over the age of 60 years. Basal cell carcinoma was the most frequent (51%) followed by squamous cell carcinoma (26%) and malignant melanoma (12.5%). Other rare primary tumors were those arising from the skin appendages, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and Kaposi's sarcoma. Metastatic skin lesions were seen in 5; in one it resulted from a surgical procedure and in the others the primary site could not be determined. CONCLUSION: The number of patients seen in this report is not high indicating that protective factors like clothing and skin type of the individual played a protective role. However, we feel that more studies should be encouraged in other regions along with the creation of a registry within each area to monitor the information regarding skin cancers. This could then be incorporated in health education programmes to be imparted to the public.