Satisfacción de pacientes con cicatrices atróficas de acné tratados con láser ablativo y/o técnicas quirúrgicas / Satisfaction of patients with atrophic acne scars treated with ablative laser and / or surgical techniques

Las cicatrices atróficas constituyen una complicación frecuente del acné vulgar. Existen múltiples tratamientos quirúrgicos, aunque ninguno ha demostrado ser satisfactorio. Se realizó un estudio transversal retrospectivo de 47 pacientes con cicatrices atróficas de acné intervenidos mediante Cirugía Punch (CP) y/o Láser CO2 10.600 nm (LCO), a quienes se aplicó un cuestionario validado entre Abril y Septiembre de 2014. El 63,8 por ciento recibió tratamiento solo con LCO, el 10,6 por ciento solo con CP y el 25,6 por ciento recibió ambos tratamientos. Respecto al grado de satisfacción, el 9 por ciento refirió un puntaje de 10 luego del procedimiento, el 32 por ciento entre 7-9, el 43 por ciento entre 4-6 y un 17 por ciento entre 0-3. El 66 por ciento de los pacientes refirió que los efectos se mantienen en el tiempo y el 21 por ciento reportó efectos adversos. El tratamiento quirúrgico de las cicatrices atróficas de acné con técnicas como CP y/o LCO consigue grados de satisfacción moderados, con efectos mantenidos a largo plazo y escasos efectos adversos.

Atrophic scars are a common complication of acne vulgaris. There are multiple surgical treatments, but none have proved satisfactory. A retrospective cross-sectional study of 47 patients with atrophic acne scars surgery was performed by Punch Surgery (CP) and / or CO2 Laser 10,600 nm (LCO), a validated questionnaire between April and September 2014 was applied. 63.8 percent received only LCO treatment, only 10.6 percent CP and 25.6 percent received both treatments. Regarding the degree of satisfaction, 9 percent reported a score of 10 after the procedure, 32 percent between 7-9, 43 percent between 4-6 and 17 percent 0-3. 66 percent of patients reported that the effects are maintained over time, and 21 percent reported adverse effects. Surgical treatment of atrophic acne scars with techniques such as CP and / or LCO achieved moderate degree of satisfaction with maintained long-term effects and few adverse effects.

Cuerno cutáneo y carcinoma sebáceo: diagnóstico diferencial a propósito de un caso / Cutaneous horn and sebaceous carcinoma: differential diagnosis of a case report

El cuerno cutáneo es un concepto semiológico. Se define como una lesión tumoral hiperqueratósica de aspecto cónico y tamaño variable, que puede tener como base una lesión de origen benigno, premaligno o maligno. El tratamiento consiste en la resección completa de la lesión, seguido de un estudio histopatológico para precisar el diagnóstico. El carcinoma sebáceo, neoplasia maligna derivada del epitelioanexial de las glándulas sebáceas, se ha descrito como una etiología poco frecuente de cuerno cutáneo. Su diagnóstico es difícil, ya que carece de elementos clínicos característicos y su histología puede ser similar al carcinoma espinocelular o basocelular, pero importante ya que constituye una neoplasia agresiva, con riesgo de recurrencia local y metástasis. A continuación, presentamos el caso de un hombre de 68 años con diagnóstico clínico de cuerno cutáneo palpebral y diagnóstico histopatológico de carcinoma sebáceo.

The cutaneous horn is a semiological concept. It is defined as an hyperkeratotic tumor of conical appearance and variable size, which may be based on benign, premalignant or malignant lesion. The treatment is the complete resection followed by an histopathology study to clarify the diagnosis. Sebaceous carcinoma, malignant neoplasm derived from adnexal epithelium of sebaceous glands, has been described as a rare etiology of cutaneous horn. Diagnosis is difficult because it doesn’t have characteristic clinical features and histology may be similar to squamous or basal cell carcinoma, but it is important because is an aggressive neoplasm with risk of local recurrence and metastasis. We present a case of a 68-year-old man, with a clinical diagnosis of eyelid cutaneous horn and histopathological diagnosis of sebaceous carcinoma.

Evaluación del olfato en pacientes con patología tumoral en la región selar, intervenidos mediante abordaje endoscópico transesfenoidal transnasal / Assessment of smell in patients with tumor pathology in the sellar region, operated by transnasal transsphenoidal endoscopic approach

Introducción: Para acceder a la región selar, podemos utilizar las técnicas transcraneal, transeptal, o transnasal endoscópica, pudiendo provocar diferentes grados de hiposmia. Se ha descrito menor morbilidad al utilizar la técnica endoscópica, pero faltan estudios dirigidos a los resultados olfatorios. Objetivo: Determinar la presencia de deterioro olfatorio en los pacientes sometidos a un abordaje transnasal endoscópico. Material y método: Se reclutaron 12 pacientes con tumores en la región selar durante 8 meses. Se les realizó un test de olfato preoperatorio, fueron intervenidos mediante abordaje transnasal endoscópico y controlados al mes posoperatorio. Resultados: Se logró seguimiento a 10 pacientes. Seis (60%) presentaron un test de olfato preoperatorio normal. Al mes posoperatorio, se constató mejoría olfatoria en 1 (10%) paciente, 8 (80%) se mantuvieron en la misma categoría y 1 (10%) presentó deterioro olfatorio. En suma, 9 de 10 pacientes (90%) mantienen o mejoran su olfato al mes posoperatorio. Conclusión: Nuestros resultados sugieren que el abordaje transnasal endoscópico utilizado en este estudio no produce deterioro olfatorio. Dado que además es una técnica de abordaje efectiva y relativamente segura, consideramos que constituye una alternativa factible para utilizar en pacientes con patología tumoral en la región selar.

Introduction: To access the sellar region we can use the transcranial, transeptal, or transnasal endoscopic approaches, which may cause different degrees of hyposmia. It has described less morbidity to use the endocopic technique, however, there are few studies directed at olfactory outcomes. Aim: To determine the presence of olfactory impairment secondary to endoscopic transnasal approach. Material and method: 12 patients with tumors in the sellar region were enrolled during 8 months. They were underwent a smell test preoperatively, operated by endoscopic transnasal approach, and controlled with postoperative retesting, after one month. Results: Follow-up was achieved to 10 patients. 6 (60%) presented a normal preoperative smell test. Within one postoperative month, olfactory improvement was found in 1 (10%) patient, 8 (80%) remained in the same category and 1 (10%) had olfactory impairment. In all, 9 out of 10 patients (90%) maintain or improve their sense of smell after surgery. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the transnasal endoscopic approach used in this study, doesn't produce olfactory impairment. Given that is also an effective and relatively safe approach, we believe that is a feasible alternative for use in patients with tumor pathology in the sellar region.

Estudio del control metabólico en pacientes diabéticos en hemodiálisis crónica: hemoglobina glicosilada, fructosamina y glicemias capilares / Study of metabolic control in diabetic patients on chronic hemodialysis: glycated hemoglobin, fructosamine and capillary glycemia

Background: In conditions that may change red blood cell survival, such as hemodialysis, the accuracy of A1c glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) to assess metabolic control can be hampered. Other glycosylated proteins such as fructosamine, could accomplish the role of HbA1c. Aim: To assess if HbA1c is a good metabolic control parameter in diabetic patients on chronic hemodialysis. To compare fructosamine, HbA1c and serial capillary glucose levels in the same patients. Material and Methods: Patients on hemodialysis three times per week were studied. Twenty one subjects with diabetes mellitus and 10 non-diabetic patients were included (70 percent were male). During a period of 14 days, fasting and post prandial capillary glucose levels were measured. Venous glucose, HbA1c and fructosamine were measured at the onset and completion of the monitoring period. Results: Diabetic patients were older than their non-diabetic counterparts (65 and 47 years respectively, p < 0.04). In diabetic and non-diabetic patients respectively, capillary blood glucose levels were 161 +/- 22 and 104 +/- 51 mg/dl, HbA1c levels were 6.8 +/- 1.2 and 5.4 +/- 0.4 percent and fructosamine levels were 282.0 +/- 126.6 and 154.6 +/- 73 umol/L. In all patients there was a positive correlation between blood glucose, HbA1c (r = 0.78 p < 0.01) and fructosamine (r = 0.52, p 0.02). There was a positive correlation between mean capillary glucose, HbA1c (r = 0.77, p < 0.01) and fructosamine (r = 0.69, p < 0.02). Among diabetic patients, the correlation coefficients between mean capillary glucose levels, HbA1c and fructosamine levels were 0.67 (p < 0.01) and 0.51 (NS), respectively. Conclusions: Among diabetic patients on hemodialysis fructosamine levels are not a better indicator of metabolic control than HbA1c.

Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes con alopecia fibrosante frontal / Retrospective study of patients with frontal fibrosing alopecia

Introducción: La alopecia fibrosante frontal, considerada por algunos autores como un subtipo de liquen plano pilaris, corresponde a una alopecia cicatricial primaria, que se presenta en mujeres adultas y se caracteriza por el retroceso simétrico de la línea de implantación fronto temporal. Se presenta un estudio descriptivo de pacientes con Alopecía fibrosante frontal atendidos en este centro. Objetivos: Evaluar características clínicas, dermatoscópicas e histopatológicas de pacientes con alopecia fibrosante frontal. Materiales y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de pacientes con diagnóstico clínico-histopatológico de alopecia fibrosante frontal atendidos en nuestro centro desde Julio 2010 a Octubre 2012. Resultados: Se encontraron 57 casos con diagnóstico histológico de alopecia cicatricial, de los cuales 8 (14 por ciento) se diagnosticaron como Alopecia Fibrosante Frontal. El 100 por ciento correspondieron a mujeres, el promedio de edad fue de 45 años. Sólo la mitad de los casos comenzó con la alopecia luego del climaterio. El hallazgo clínico más frecuentemente encontrado fue el retroceso de la línea de implantación frontotemporal (87,5 por ciento); y en segundo lugar la disminución difusa de densidad capilar (37,5 por ciento) y alopecia de la cola de las cejas (50 por ciento). No se reportó ningún caso asociado a liquen plano cutáneo o de mucosas. Los hallazgos más relevantes a la dermatoscopía fueron: eritema perifolicular (50 por ciento) e hiperqueratosis folicular (25 por ciento). A la histopatología, los principales hallazgos fueron el infiltrado inflamatorio linfocitario perifolicular (50 por ciento) y fibrosis concéntrica perifolicular (100 por ciento). Discusión: La Alopecia fibrosante frontalrepresenta el 14 por ciento de las alopecias cicatriciales primarias en nuestra serie. La edad al diagnóstico fue inferior a lo reportado en la literatura. El principal hallazgo clínico fue el retroceso de la línea de implantación frontotemporal...

Introduction: Frontal fibrosing alopecia, considered by some authors as a subtype of lichen planopilaris, is a scarring alopecia that usually involves adult women and is characterized by the symmetric recession of fronto-temporal hairline. Objectives: Characterize the clinical, dermoscopic and histological features of frontal fibrosing alopecia. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with clinical and histological diagnosis of Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia treated in our institution from July 2010 to October2012. Results: 8 out of 57 cases with histological diagnosis of scarring alopecia, had diagnosis of frontal fibrosing alopecia (14 percent). 100 percent were women, with mean age of 45 years. 50 percent of patients began with alopecia in the post-climacteric period. Recession of frontotemporal hair-line was the most common finding (87.5 percent), associated with reduced capillary density (37.5 percent) and loss of eyebrows (50 percent). In our study, none of the patients had other signs of lichen planus. At dermoscopy, most common finding were perifollicular erythema (50 percent) and follicular hyperkeratosis (25 percent). Most common histological findings were a perifollicular lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate (50 percent) and perifollicular concentric fibrosis (100 percent). Discussion: Frontal fibrosing alopecia represents 14 percent of scarring alopecia in our series. Age at diagnosis was lower than reported in the literature, and only 50 percent of women presented alopecia in the postmenopausal period. The main clinical finding was the recession of frontotemporal hairline...

Diagnóstico diferencial y manejo del escroto agudo en niños / Differential diagnosis and management of the acute scrotum in children

Acute scrotum is a common entity found in pediatric emergency rooms all over the world. This is a syndrome in which fast and accurate diagnosis is vital to perform an effective treatment of the underlying disease. Testicular torsion is the first diagnosis that has to be discarded. Torsion of appendix testis and epididymitis or orchitis must also be considered. If clinical signs are compatible with testicular torsion, and especially if the condition has not passed the six hours threshold, surgical exploration has to be perform at once. Radiological tests cannot delaysurgical exploration. Detorsion must be achieved as soon as possible to prevent irreversible ischemia and necrosis of the testicle that could lead to an orchiectomy. Once the torsion is relieved, the testicle must be placed in warm, moist sponges to test for adequate perfusion. If the testicle has acceptable blood supply, both testicles have to be fixed to prevent similar events in the future. If health providers are familiarized with the clinical presentation of these conditions, testicular torsion and other causes of acute scrotum could be diagnosed and treated rapidly and therefore important complications, such as fertility impairment, could be prevented.