O. Vanhooteghem

Development of a Chitosan Nanofibrillar Scaffold for Skin Repair and Regeneration.

The final goal of the present study was the development of a 3-D chitosan dressing that would shorten the healing time of skin wounds by stimulating migration, invasion, and proliferation of the relevant cutaneous resident cells. Three-dimensional chitosan nanofibrillar scaffolds produced by electrospinning were compared with evaporated films and freeze-dried sponges for their biological properties. The nanofibrillar structure strongly improved cell adhesion and proliferation in vitro. When implanted in mice, the nanofibrillar scaffold was colonized by mesenchymal cells and blood vessels. Accumulation of collagen fibrils was also observed. In contrast, sponges induced a foreign body granuloma. When used as a dressing covering full-thickness skin wounds in mice, chitosan nanofibrils induced a faster regeneration of both the epidermis and dermis compartments. Altogether our data illustrate the critical importance of the nanofibrillar structure of chitosan devices for their full biocompatibility and demonstrate the significant beneficial effect of chitosan as a wound-healing biomaterial.

Pulse steroid therapy for children's severe Alopecia areata?

Seven children with severe, rapidly evolving alopecia areata (AA) were treated with pulse steroid therapy (PST). AA had been present for 3-44 weeks and involved more than 30% of the scalp. One patient had alopecia totalis. Intravenous methylprednisolone (5 mg/kg twice a day) was administered for 3 days. No serious side effects were noted. At the 12-month follow-up, complete regrowth had occurred in 5 patients (71%). The patient with alopecia totalis had no regrowth. PST appears to be a promising and safe treatment for extensive, recent-onset AA in children. No response is to be expected in alopecia totalis or long-standing AA.

Raynaud Phenomenon after Treatment of Verruca Vulgaris of the Sole with Intralesional Injection of Bleomycin

Abstract: Intralesional injection of bleomycin (BLM) for the treatment of warts resistant to all conventional therapies is of certain interest because of the drugs low toxicity and its efficacy. However, delayed side effects may appear, particularly Raynaud phenomenon. Accordingly, some precautions must be taken in patients with vascular or collagen diseases and, as a precaution, pregnant or lactating women and infants should not be treated with this drug.

Docetaxel-induced subungual hemorrhage

Docetaxel (RP 56976 or Taxotere), a semisynthetic drug belonging to the family of taxoids, is a new chemotherapeutic agent used in phase II trials for breast, ovarian and lung cancer. We report 2 cases of subungual hemorrhages, which, to our knowledge, have yet to be cited in association with the use of docetaxel. Although not incapacitating, the patient should be made aware of the potential risk of this drug reaction.

Tufted Angioma, a Particular Form of Angioma

Tufted angioma is a rare acquired cutaneous angiomatous proliferation characterized by slowly spreading erythematous macules and plaques, sometimes surmounted by nodular formations. Synonyms are progressive capillary hemangioma and Nakagawas angioblastoma. Tufted angioma appears to be benign since follow-up studies did not report malignant transformation. This lesion must be distinguished from other vascular tumors, especially from Kaposis sarcoma. If this lesion appears in an older patient, angiosarcoma should be excluded.

Chronic interdigital dermatophytic infection: A common lesion associated with potentially severe consequences

Interdigital intertrigo and onychomycosis has the potential cause of severe bacterial infectious complications with pain, mobility problems, abscess, erysipelas, cellulitis, fasciitis and osteomyelitis. In another hand, diabetic neuropathy, which affects 60-70% of those with diabetes mellitus, is one of the most troubling complications for persons with diabetes. These people are high suspecting to be infected by dermatophytic infections in interdigital spaces or onychomycosis witch are frequently induce damage to the stratum corneum, leading to bacterial proliferation and secondary infection. A patient presented with an asymptomatic warm, painless, erythematous swelling of the second left toe, which had been present for a few weeks. Clinically, the lesion was categorized as erysipelas upon an insidious abscess formation. Further investigation was undertaken to confirm the presence of diabetes. Leg erysipelas is a common affection which, according to various studies, has both local concomitants (interdigital intertrigo, lymphoedema, surgical antecedents) and/or general causes (immune suppression, diabetes, alcoholism, etc). Interdigital intertrigo, tinea pedis, and onychomycosis present as public health problems that could trigger serious deterioration in patient quality of life, due to complications induced by secondary bacterial infections.

Subungueal pyogenic granuloma secondary to docetaxel therapy

trichoblastoma: an unusual localization. Int J Dermatol 2003; 42: 201–2. 3 Izikson L, Bhan A, Zembowicz A. Androgen receptor expression helps to differentiate basal carcinoma from benign trichoblastic tumors. Am J Dermatopathol 2005; 27: 91–5. 4 Ohnishi T, Watanabe S. Immunohistochemical analysis of cytokeratin expression in various trichogenic tumors. Am J Dermatopathol 1999; 21: 337–43. 5 Bayer-Garner IB, Givens V, Smoller B. Immnohistochemical staining for androgen receptors: sensitive marker of sebaceous differentiation. Am J Dermatopathol 1999; 21: 426–31.

The Pott’s puffy tumor: an unusual complication of frontal sinusitis, Methods for its detection

Abstract:  This is a case report of a Pott’s puffy tumor, characterized by a subperiosteal abscess associated with frontal bone osteomyelitis, as a consequence of a frontal sinusitis, in a 15‐year‐old boy. Pott’s puffy tumor is a rare condition usually seen as a complication of frontal sinusitis and more commonly described in children. Given that, superficial temporal artery pseudoaneurysms might be interpreted as a cyst or lipoma, it is imperative that physicians be aware of their presentation.

Occurrence of gouty tophi following acitretin therapy

Acitretin (Ro 10–1670 or Neotigason), a free acid and the main metabolite of etretinate (Ro 10–9359 or Tigason), is the most recent of the retinoids used orally in the treatment of psoriasis and numerous other dermatoses exhibiting disorders of keratinization. In the majority of cases, its side‐effects are similar to those of hypervitaminosis A.

Associated pyoderma gangrenosum, erythema elevatum diutinum, and Sweet's syndrome: The concept of neutrophilic disease

Background  The association of three neutrophilic dermatoses supports the concept of “neutrophilic disease” as a syndrome representing a continuous spectrum of clinical entities.