Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The paramedian forehead flap is an excellent choice when repairing a large nasal defect. However, even when carefully thinned, the flap may develop a bulky appearance, an ill-fitting contour, or trap door deformity. When on the face, these suboptimal results can be quite distressing. Surgical and non-surgical options for improvement exist. Surgical options include additional debulking and reorientation of the flap. Non-surgical options include intralesional corticosteroids or 5-flourouracil, dermabrasion, and ablative and non-ablative laser resurfacing. Each option has limited benefit as well potential side effects. STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: In this report, we present dramatic improvement of a thickened paramedian forehead flap using the Fraxel Re:pair, a fractional carbon dioxide (CO(2) ) laser (Solta Medical, Inc. Hayward, CA). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first case in the literature demonstrating successful reduction of a bulky flap using a fractional ablative laser.

A 58-year-old man presented for evaluation and treatment of non-tender, non-pruritic, annular patches on the right temple and frontal aspect of the scalp that reddened with exercise. A biopsy specimen showed a purpuric dermatitis with features of lymphocytic vasculitis; a diagnosis of exercise-induced progressive pigmentary purpura was made. Whereas progressive pigmentary purpura is purported to be caused by exercise, other similar appearing entities are associated with exercise, namely exercise-induced vasculitis (EIV). EIV may be considered as an acute microcirculatory deficiency and thermoregulation decompensation that occurs after episodes of exhaustive major muscular activity or after unusual or excessive exercise. The combination of age greater than 50 years, heat, and prolonged exercise are the most potent contributing factors. This is the first report of exercise-induced progressive pigmentary purpura.

A 15-year-old boy with a diagnosis of generalized multiple glomangiomas was referred for evaluation and treatment of enlarging and increasingly painful lesions on his right ankle. The patient underwent a series of two treatments with long-pulsed KTP 1064 nm laser that resulted in substantial improvement in appearance and decreased pain. Generalized glomuvenous malformations, or multiple glomangiomas, are the less common presentation of proliferation of glomus cells and may have extracutaneous involvement. Whereas surgical management is often employed and definitive for solitary lesions, interventions such as laser therapy, may be beneficial for improvement of functional impairment and cosmesis as was observed in our patient.

BACKGROUND: The use of electrosurgery and lasers by dermatologists and dermatologic surgeons has increased in recent years with the growth of technology and procedures performed. These devices produce surgical smoke that has been demonstrated to harbor live viruses and bacteria in addition to hazardous chemicals. OBJECTIVE: We sought to review the literature on surgical smoke, its effects on those exposed, and measures that may be used to protect dermatologists and their staff. METHODS: We conducted a review of the literature on surgical smoke during the last 25 years. RESULTS: The studies reviewed indicate the potential for infection, carcinogenesis, and pulmonary damage as a result of exposure to surgical plume. LIMITATIONS: There is no inclusion of literature and subsequent findings published greater than 25 years prior. CONCLUSIONS: It is evident from our review that surgical smoke poses potential health risks to dermatologists who perform procedures using electrocautery and lasers. We recommend diligent use of high-filtration masks in addition to smoke evacuation systems to dermatologists performing laser surgery and using electrocautery. Furthermore, we advocate investigation into quantifying the exposure of dermatologists to surgical smoke in the outpatient setting

BACKGROUND: Chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD) is a rare photosensitivity disorder with scant epidemiologic data. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate demographic data and results of photopatch and patch tests over a 25-year period. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of patients with CAD from 1993 to 2009. RESULTS: Forty patients had a mean age of 57.8 years, and 27 (67.5%) were men. Twelve patients (30%) were skin types I and II, and 17 (42.5%) were skin types V and VI. Nine patients (22.5%) were younger than 50 years, and 4 of these (44.4%) were men. One of the nine patients (11.1%) was skin type I, and 4 (44.4%) were skin types V and VI. Carba mix and para-phenylenediamine were the two most commonly positive agents in patch tests. Sunscreens and plants and plant derivatives were the most commonly positive agents in photopatch tests. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a trend of two new classes of North American patients at our institution being diagnosed with CAD-younger women with skin types IV to VI and older men with skin types I to III. We observed a greater-than-expected number of positive patch-test reactions to para-phenylenediamine. We suggest that patch testing and photopatch testing of individuals may be useful adjuncts in the assessment of CAD

A 61-year-old woman presented with a five-month history of an intermittent eruption of papules and nodules on her face and neck. Past medical history included systemic lupus erythematosus. Histopathologic examination was consistent with secondary follicular mucinosis in association with systemic lupus erythematosus. This rare entity has been described in one prior report as a precursor to the clinical onset of systemic lupus erythematosus. Follicular mucinosis occurs as either a primary idiopathic form or a secondary form associated with either benign inflammatory processes or malignant conditions, such as cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Numerous treatments for primary follicular mucinosis have been described, which include isotretinoin and glucocorticoids, whereas treatment of the underlying disease is necessary in the secondary form. The association with lymphoma mandates long-term clinical monitoring of patients with particularly recalcitrant, widespread, or chronic follicular mucinosis

A 62-year-old woman with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis presented for evaluation and treatment of a one-week history of pruritic, pink spots on her trunk and extremities. Several weeks prior, therapy with certolizumab pegol and methotrexate was started for her psoriatic arthritis. A biopsy specimen was consistent with the diagnosis of porokeratosis. Owing to the setting of immunosuppression and presence of symmetric pruritic lesions on non-sun exposed areas, the diagnosis of disseminated superficial porokeratosis was made