Plastic Surgery Key

Pathogenesis: Paraneoplastic pemphigus is caused by circulating autoantibodies directed against various intercellular keratinocyte proteins. The most commonly found antibodies are directed against the plakin family of proteins, which include envoplakin…

Histology: Early lesions of dermatitis herpetiformis show subepidermal clefting with a neutrophil-rich infiltrate in the papillary dermis. As the lesions progress, subepidermal blistering becomes prominent, and the papillary dermis is…

Histology: Subepidermal blistering that heals with scar formation is the hallmark of this disease. The blistering takes place just below the keratinocyte, within in the lamina lucida. Immunohistochemical staining with…

Histology: Routine hematoxylin and eosin staining reveals a cell-poor subepidermal blister with scattered eosinophils. The histological differential diagnosis can be between bullous pemphigoid and epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA). Immunofluorescence staining…

DESMOSOME The desmosome provides the major connection between one keratinocyte and another. It is the most complex of the keratinocyte connection points, which also include tight junctions, adherens junctions, and…

The lamina lucida is so named because of its translucent appearance on electron microscopy. In comparison, the lamina densa is an electron-dense region that lies just below the lamina lucida….

Rarely, complete depigmentation is undertaken, for those who are so severely affected that only a few islands of normal-appearing skin remain, to allow for a uniform skin tone. Monobenzylether of…

Treatment: Treatment of chronic idiopathic urticaria is based on symptom relief. Antihistamines are the first-line therapy and can be used in combination. The lack of response can be frustrating for…

Treatment: The rash can be treated symptomatically with topical corticosteroids and emollients. The main goal of therapy is to restore the proper venous flow. Depending on the underlying reason for…

Erythema nodosum can be treated with compression stockings, topical potent steroids, and oral steroids in severe cases. Intralesional injection of triamcinolone is also effective. Metastatic Crohn’s disease is difficult to…