Characterization of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma following solid organ transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Immunosuppression following solid organ transplantation is a known risk factor for the development of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD). Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) occurring in the posttransplant setting is rare, which has made comprehensive understanding of this disease challenging. This study aims to further characterize the spectrum of clinicopathologic features of CTCL in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR). METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed for SOTR who were diagnosed with CTCL at a multi-site academic medical center from January 1, 1998, to December 31, 2013. Eight patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this study. Data collected included patient demographics, transplanted organ, the time between transplant and CTCL diagnosis, clinical presentation and rash morphology, a histological subtype of CTCL, immunosuppression regimens, and patient status. Twelve diagnostic skin biopsies for five patients were examined and reviewed by a board-certified dermatopathologist. RESULTS: Six (75%) out of the eight patients were men, two (25%) were women, and the median age was 53 years. The median time from the date of transplant to the diagnosis of CTCL was 8.2 years. Transplanted organs included the liver (4), kidney (3), and heart (1). Clinical presentation varied from papulonodules, comedone-like lesions, intense pruritis, and scaly erythematous eruptions. The most common histologic presentation was folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (FMF) (7/12). Epstein-Barr virus-in situ hybridization (EBV-ISH) was negative in all specimens. CONCLUSIONS: We emphasize the rarity of CTCL among SOTR. Although rare in the general population, the FMF subtype appears to be disproportionately seen in SOTR compared with other CTCL.

Epidermolytic hyperkeratosis of the vulva.

Vulvar epidermolytic hyperkeratosis is a benign entity that mimics other malignant and inflammatory vulvar dermatoses clinically and histologically requiring careful clinical pathologic correlation for diagnosis.

Multiple Primary Melanomas Occurring Around the Same Time: A Review of Terminology and Implications.

Multiple primary melanomas (MPMs) have been reported to occur in 2-10% of melanoma patients. This study conducted a review of the literature to elucidate the definitions of terminology used to describe MPMs that were diagnosed in close temporal proximity as well as explore common risk factors. Terminology found in the literature included “concurrent”, “simultaneous” and “synchronous” with varying definitions that ranged from 0-6 months between diagnoses of the first and subsequent melanomas. Eight cases are described in chronological order, and the incidence of MPMs diagnosed around the same time were reported as 22-39%. Nevus spilus was identified as a potential risk factor for MPMs. This study highlights that MPMs are not uncommon, and clinicians should remain aware that MPMs can be diagnosed at or around the same time, warranting thorough skin exams. J Drugs Dermatol. 2020;19(5): doi:10.36849/JDD.2020.4953.

Skin substitutes for acute and chronic wound healing: an updated review.

Background: Skin substitutes are designed to accelerate wound healing by providing replacement of extracellular matrix and can be used to promote healing of both acute and chronic wounds.Aim: To describe advantages, disadvantages, and indications for different skin substitutes with the intention of providing a systematic framework that clinicians can easily utilize in clinical practice.Materials and method: We conducted a PubMed, Cochrane Library, and company website search for publications using various search terms associated with skin substitutes.Results: Skin substitutes can be categorized as epidermal, dermal, and composite, depending on the skin component they contain, and further split into different categories depending on their composition and source of material, including xenograft, acellular allograft, cellular allograft, autograft, and synthetic skin substitutes. Because there is no ideal option for skin substitutes that meet all the criteria for optimal wound healing, there is ongoing research evaluating and developing different skin substitute options.Conclusion: Our model of skin substitutes was organized based on the different layers of cutaneous involvement and the origin of the product material. We believe that this framework provides a practical guide for selection of the most appropriate skin substitute based on clinical indication.

Biologic Therapy in the Treatment of Cutaneous Sarcoidosis: A Literature Review.

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease defined by the presence of non-caseating granulomas. It can affect a number of organ systems, most commonly the lungs, lymph nodes, and skin. Cutaneous manifestations of sarcoidosis can impose a significant detriment to patients' quality of life. The accepted first-line therapy for cutaneous sarcoidosis consists of intralesional and oral corticosteroids, but these can fail in the face of resistant disease and corticosteroid-induced adverse effects. Second-line agents include tetracyclines, hydroxychloroquine, and methotrexate. Biologics are an emerging treatment option for the management of cutaneous sarcoidosis, but their role in management is not well-defined. In this article, we reviewed the currently available English-language publications on the use of biologics in managing cutaneous sarcoidosis. Although somewhat limited, the data in published studies support the use of both infliximab and adalimumab as third-line treatments for chronic or resistant cutaneous sarcoidosis. There were also scattered reports of etanercept, rituximab, golimumab, and ustekinumab being utilized as third-line agents with varying degrees of success. Larger and more extensive investigations are required to further assess the adverse effect profile and optimal dosing for managing cutaneous sarcoidosis.

Metatypical Basal Cell Carcinoma with Intravascular Invasion.

Basal cell carcinoma is the most common malignancy worldwide, but it very rarely metastasizes. Perineural invasion in basal cell carcinoma has been well documented in the literature, but evidence of intravascular invasion has rarely been reported. We describe a rare case of metatypical basal cell carcinoma with intravascular invasion and discuss the clinical management associated with this presentation. The patient was successfully treated with two stages of Mohs micrographic surgery.

The Efficacy of Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Abdominal Hysterectomy Post-operative Analgesia.

Introduction/background Abdominal hysterectomy is an open surgical procedure associated with considerable post-operative pain. Narcotics are often required during patient recovery but can result in adverse side effects. Transversus abdominis plane block (TAP block) is a regional anesthetic technique that is found to be an effective post-operative analgesia for many types of abdominal surgeries, including abdominal hysterectomies. However recent literature shows contradicting results regarding TAP block's analgesic effect on recovery from abdominal hysterectomies. This study investigated the efficacy of TAP block to reduce narcotic consumption and improve pain scores in abdominal hysterectomy patients. Methods A single-center retrospective cohort study was performed. The inclusion criteria was patients who underwent abdominal hysterectomy at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies (WPH) between January 12, 2015 and December 31, 2015. Exclusion criteria were patients who received a second surgery within the same hospitalization, experienced an in-hospital mortality event, received hysterectomy for known malignancy, stayed in the hospital less than 24 hours, and whose charts contained missing data points. Data collected were: age, weight, height, body mass index (BMI), length of hospital stay, total narcotic consumption (intra-operation, in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), first 24 hours after admittance, during entire hospital stay, total patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) quantity, and total oral narcotics quantity. All narcotics were converted into parental morphine units for analysis. Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) scores at two, four, eight, 12, 16, 20, and 24 hours after leaving the PACU were collected. Two-tailed paired T-test was performed to compare the narcotic consumption and pain scores between the TAP block group and the non-TAP block group. Results WPH used ultrasound-guided bilateral TAP block for patients undergoing abdominal hysterectomies. 63 patient charts were evaluated with 32 in the TAP block group and 31 in the non-TAP block group. Narcotic consumption was significantly different in the PACU with TAP block group consuming less narcotics than non-TAP block group (5.05 vs 8.65 IV morphine equivalents, p=0.012). TAP block group's mean narcotic consumption was not significantly lower than Non-TAP block group's mean consumption during intra-operation, first 24 hours after admittance, and total hospital stay (p=0.419, p=0.533, p=0.754 respectively). Mean NPRS scores at all hours (2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24) displayed no statistical difference between the two groups. Total patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and total overall oral narcotic usage showed no statistically significant differences between TAP block group and Non-TAP block group (p=0.252, 0.669 respectively). Conclusion The results of this study demonstrated that TAP block did reduce narcotic requirement in the PACU but did not exhibit superior analgesic efficacy after discharge from the PACU, nor reduce the total length of hospital stay.

Primary cutaneous non-pigmented mycotic cyst contained in an epidermal inclusion cyst: Case report and review of the literature.

Primary cutaneous mycotic cysts are uncommon dermal or subcutaneous fungal lesions. The most commonly implicated organisms are species within a heterogeneous group of pigmented fungi called dematiaceous fungi. Mycotic cysts usually present as solitary lesions and can be caused by traumatic introduction of fungal elements by foreign bodies or present as a cutaneous manifestation of systemic fungal infections, especially in immunocompromised patients. We present a case of a 63-year-old immunocompetent male who developed a non-erythematous solitary nodule after doing yardwork. Histopathologically, a benign-appearing epidermal inclusion cyst was apparent containing a splinter with keratinous granular debris and no indication of inflammatory host reaction. However, abundant non-pigmented hyphae were visualized after a periodic acid-Schiff stain was performed. This case offers an interesting histopathological view of a non-pigmented mycotic cyst contained within an epidermal inclusion cyst with a true epithelial lining. It also raises the question of whether mycotic cysts caused by non-pigmented fungi are rare or simply under-diagnosed because of their deceptively benign initial appearance. Even in the absence of an inflammatory or granulomatous host response, we recommend investigating for fungal elements in lesions where a splinter or other foreign body material is present in order to avoid misdiagnosis.

Use of Emergency Manuals During Actual Critical Events in China: A Multi-Institutional Study.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency manuals (EMs) can help healthcare providers respond to crises more efficiently. Three anesthesia EMs have been translated into Chinese. These EMs have been made publicly available as a free document downloadable in China. A year after these Chinese versions of EMs were published, we conducted a multi-institutional survey in China to assess the progress of how well EM had been adapted and used in the setting of critical events. METHODS: Our study used a multi-institutional, anonymous electronic survey. We included hospitals that had conducted group studies of EMs as well as simulation trainings. The survey consisted of the five-point Likert scale, yes or no boxes, and multiple-choice questions with five possible choices. Statistical analysis included Pearson correlation coefficient and χ test. RESULTS: Nine hospitals were included in the study. The overall response rate was 56.4%. More than 70% of all respondents reported using an EM during at least one critical event within the past 6 months in China. A total of 87.7% of all respondents self-reviewed or group studied EMs. A total of 69% participated in multidisciplinary simulation training. Emergency manual use during a critical event showed a positive correlation with multidisciplinary simulation training (R = 0.896) and self-review/group study (R = 0.5234). The average self-reported use of EMs during clinical critical events is twice per anesthesiologist. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated the nascent success of EM implementation in multiple Chinese institutions. Simulation training enhances the implementation and clinical usage of EM. Simulation training in an operating room was sufficient to learn how to use EM.