Three cases of bullous morphea: histopathologic findings with implications regarding pathogenesis.

Bullous morphea is a rare variant and is not frequently reported. We present three cases of bullous morphea. Although lymphangiectases have been suggested as the most likely mechanism for the development of the bullae in cases of morphea, none of the cases presented with lymphangiectases. To the contrary, all of our cases showed hemorrhagic content in the bullae, which suggests local trauma as a mechanism involved in bulla formation.

Morphological clues in the diagnosis of sclerodermiform dermatitis.

In this report, we review 5 sclerodermiform cutaneous conditions: eosinophilic fasciitis, systemic nephrogenic fibrosis, scleredema, scleromyxedema, and toxic oil syndrome. We emphasize the morphological differences between the conditions and some morphological clues that are important to differential diagnosis.

Subungual Keratoacanthoma: Typical and Atypical Presentations of an Uncommon Nail Tumor.

Introduction: Keratoacanthoma (KA) is a group of tumors of epidermal origin with controversial nature. Subungual keratoacanthoma (SUKA) is a rare and destructive variant with more aggressive behavior. SUKA appears as a rapidly growing, painful tumor beneath the nail plate that rapidly progresses to a mass that can measure up to 2 cm. The toe location is unusual. The diagnosis must be made based on the correlation of clinical, radiological, and histopathological findings. Case Presentation: We present two cases of patients diagnosed with SUKAs with different clinical presentations which ranged from very typical to uncommon one. Both cases were treated with simple excision without recurrences. Conclusion: SUKA is a rare subungual tumor. Nail bed location represents a more difficult diagnostic challenge. SUKA should be suspected in the context of persistent and progressive pain on a finger or toe, once more frequent painful tumors have been ruled out.

Trigeminal Trophic Syndrome as a Complication of Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus.

Trigeminal trophic syndrome (TTS) is an unusual complication that occurs secondary to trigeminal nerve injury. The insult to the nerve can lead to anesthesia, hypoesthesia, and paresthesias producing sensations such as burning or itching. The combination of both leads to repeated self-inflicted skin trauma in an attempt to alleviate these sensations, eventually leading to ulceration of the skin. We report a case of a 71-year-old male patient with a scalp ulcer who had an episode of herpes zoster ophthalmicus four months prior to presentation.

Acne Necrotica in a Woman With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Systemic Sclerosis.

We report the case of a 25-year-old woman who presented to the outpatient dermatology clinic with a history of systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and primary hypothyroidism. She complained of a one-year history of cutaneous lesions that were pruriginous and evolved into crusts and weeks later resolved with varioliform scarring. Clinicopathological correlation established a diagnosis of acne necrotica varioliformis. This report highlights the clues and pitfalls in its diagnosis and reviews associated systemic diseases.

An Uncommon Presentation of Pyogenic Granuloma.

Benign vascular neoplasms are common clinical problems encountered in the practice of primary care. Pyogenic granulomas are one of the most common benign vascular lesions in young adults. Although the physiopathological mechanism for the development of this condition is still not well understood, it has been commonly associated with several triggers such as treatment with retinoids, biological agents, invasive cutaneous therapies and trauma. The development of pyogenic granulomas on sites of vascular malformations like port wine stains has been described in the literature to occur rarely. Most of these types of cases have been studied to occur in the setting of pregnancy and after cryotherapy or pulsated laser therapy. The aim of this article is to present the case of a 21-year-old man with a recent appearance of a pyogenic granuloma within an underlying port wine stain in the posterior cervical region without any history of triggers or risk factors. Excision of the vascular lesion was done, and histopathological report confirmed the diagnosis. The objective of this manuscript is to discuss the possible mechanisms involved in the development of this uncommon presentation and to summarize the current literature related to this clinical scenario.

Painful nails: A practical approach to the diagnosis and management of painful nail conditions.

Because several nail disorders share similar clinical features, their diagnosis and management can be challenging to clinicians. The physical examination may disclose localized abnormalities or point to an underlying systemic disease, requiring additional workup. Furthermore, cosmetic distress and nail-related symptoms (e.g., tingling, stinging, numbness, and pain) are common factors that influence the patient's search for medical assistance. Nail pain (i.e., onychalgia) can accompany both localized and systemic pathology. Onychalgia can be acute or chronic according to the time of evolution; patients may describe it as intermittent or constant, and as a throbbing, burning, sharp, or shooting sensation denoting the nature of the pain. It may be exacerbated by colder temperatures, touch, and increased activity (e.g., manipulating objects, walking). We present four main groups of conditions that might cause nail pain: nail tumors, nail deformities, inflammatory or infectious diseases, and external or traumatic agents. Our article includes an overview of the clinical features, as well as diagnosis and management pearls for each entity. Physicians (dermatologists and nondermatologists) should be aware that abnormalities of the ungual and subungual space are not exclusive of dermatological disorders but may also be present in noncutaneous contexts.

Approach to Cutaneous Lymphoid Infiltrates: When to Consider Lymphoma?

Cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates (CLIs) are common in routine dermatopathology. However, differentiating a reactive CLI from a malignant lymphocytic infiltrate is often a significant challenge since many inflammatory dermatoses can clinically and/or histopathologically mimic cutaneous lymphomas, coined pseudolymphomas. We conducted a literature review from 1966 to July 1, 2015, at PubMed.gov using the search terms: Cutaneous lymphoma, cutaneous pseudolymphoma, cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia, simulants/mimics/imitators of cutaneous lymphomas, and cutaneous lymphoid infiltrates. The diagnostic approach to CLIs and the most common differential imitators of lymphoma is discussed herein based on six predominant morphologic and immunophenotypic, histopathologic patterns: (1) Superficial dermal T-cell infiltrates (2) superficial and deep dermal perivascular and/or nodular natural killer/T-cell infiltrates (3) pan-dermal diffuse T-cell infiltrates (4) panniculitic T-cell infiltrates (5) small cell predominant B-cell infiltrates, and (6) large-cell predominant B-cell infiltrates. Since no single histopathological feature is sufficient to discern between a benign and a malignant CLI, the overall balance of clinical, histopathological, immunophenotypic, and molecular features should be considered carefully to establish a diagnosis. Despite advances in ancillary studies such as immunohistochemistry and molecular clonality, these studies often display specificity and sensitivity limitations. Therefore, proper clinicopathological correlation still remains the gold standard for the precise diagnosis of CLIs.