Linear perioral atrophoderma along blaschko's lines- a retrospective study describing 14 cases of atrophia maculosa varioliformis cutis.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous atrophic scarring is characterised by an idiopathic, non-inflammatory macular atrophy that typically occurs on the face and presents as shallow atrophic scars having sharp margins and may be linear, rectangular or varioliform. AIM: To describe the cases of spontaneous atrophic scarring over perioral region of face having specific feline band pattern in a retrospective study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients with facial atrophoderma (perioral region) were evaluated clinically and histopathologically in tertiary care centres over 3 years. Patients with facial atrophoderma but no perioral involvement and secondary atrophoderma were excluded from the study. Patients were evaluated for number, sites, size and shape of lesions and were confirmed histopathologically. RESULTS: There were 14 patients (10 females) with facial atrophoderma particularly over the perioral region. Three patients had perioral involvement with a few lesions on the cheeks and forehead. All patients developed atrophoderma spontaneously without preceding inflammation. Most of the patients were asymptomatic except for mild pain or burning at the time of development of atrophic lesions; however, none of the patients were symptomatic at the time of presentation. Histopathology in 5 patients showed epidermal and upper dermal atrophy with no/minimal signs of inflammation. CONCLUSION: Idiopathic atrophodermas over the face can be due to spontaneous atrophia maculosa varioliformis cutis or atrophoderma of Moulin.

Cytohistological correlation in diagnosis of lung tumors by using fiberoptic bronchoscopy: study of 200 cases.

BACKGROUND: Examination of specimens obtained through flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope is an important and often the initial diagnostic technique performed in patients with suspected malignant lung lesion. AIMS: To evaluate the correlation of cytological findings of bronchial washings, bronchial brushing and imprint smear of bronchial biopsy in the diagnosis of lung tumors, with histopathology of bronchial biopsy taking the latter as the confirmatory diagnostic test. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 200 patients with lung mass were included in the study. Bronchial brushings were obtained from all 200 cases. In the first 100 cases, pre-biopsy bronchial washing (washing collected before the brushing and biopsy procedure) while post-biopsy washing (washing at the end of the procedure) was procured in all 200 cases. Imprint smears of bronchial biopsy were prepared in 150 cases. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity of brushing was 76.58% and 77.78% respectively and that of imprint smear was 81.35% and 78.12% respectively. Pre-biopsy and post-biopsy washing showed high specificity of 88.89%, but low sensitivity of 30.14 and 36.77% respectively. No significant difference was found in sensitivity between brushing and imprint smear (Chi-square; P = 0.4187); and between pre-biopsy and post-biopsy washing (Chi-square; P = 0.7982). However, there was a significant difference between sensitivity of brushing and washing (Chi-square; P = 0.0001). The sensitivity of combination of three cytological diagnostic techniques was 87.29%. CONCLUSION: Bronchial brushing and washing cytology in combination with imprint cytology aids in the diagnosis of lung tumors. Therefore, all these techniques may be used concurrently along with bronchial biopsy to diagnose lung tumors.