Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

B Balme

Publications and source records attributed to B Balme.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[Membranous lipodystrophy caused by chemotherapy].

INTRODUCTION: Membranous lipodystrophy represents a peculiar dermatopathologic type of cystic forming adipose tissue necrosis. In skin pathology two distinct entities are currently known: a primary idiopathic type and a secondary type found in association with various cutaneous or systemic diseases (lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, dermatomyositis, venous disorders, trauma, diabetes mellitus...). This secondary type is more common. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a female patient treated with cytostatic regimen for metastatic adenocarcinoma of the breast. She was seen with cyclic painful attacks of hypodermitis of lower limbs following drug infusions. Attacks finally vanished after treatment withdrawal. Membranous lipodystrophy was observed microscopically. DISCUSSION: This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of membranous lipodystrophy occurring during cytostatic treatment. The origin of such a phenomenon remains nuclear but cystic formation occurs after adipocyte necrosis and membranes are thought to be formed from dead cells plasma membrane remnants. Primary cell injury could be due to ischemia to which adipose tissue is especially susceptible. In our case, role of circulatory troubles or cytostatic chemotherapy could be equally discussed. However cyclic attack of painful hypodermatitis following drug administration was strongly in favour of treatment responsibility. Moreover clearing of lesions after treatment discontinuation brought more arguments for this last hypothesis.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Solitary schwannoma of the balanopreputial sulcus].

INTRODUCTION: Solitary schwannoma is usually located in the head area and the limbs. We report a case of benign solitary schwannoma of the retroglandular sulcus of the glans penis. CASE REPORT: A 64-year-old man had developed over the past year an asymptomatic nodule arising from the retroglandular sulcus of the glans penis. The nodule was removed surgically and histopathological study showed benign schwannoma. There was no association with neurofibromatosis or schwannomatosis. DISCUSSION: Benign solitary schwannoma of the penis is rare. It is most often located on the dorsal shaft of the penis in a young adult. Surgical excision is required. Malignant schwannoma of the penis is very rarely reported.

Aged↗

[Congenital eccrine angiomatous hamartoma].

BACKGROUND: Eccrine angiomatous hamartoma is an uncommon skin disease with vascular and sudoral components: less than thirty cases have been reported in the literature. CASE REPORT: A 3.5 month-old female infant developed a painful angiomatous plaque on the abdomen which was first seen 15 days after birth. Histology showed numerous vessels and eccrine sudoral glands in the dermis. Exeresis could not be complete and was followed for 15 years. There has been a slight hyperpigmentation with localized hyperhidrosis over the plaque. This hypersudation confirms the diagnosis which could not be confirmed on the initial biopsies. DISCUSSION: This case of congenital eccrine angiomatous hamartoma could only be diagnosed late in the clinical course. This is the first case report on the abdomen, 80 p. 100 of the previous reports were on the limbs. After a 15 year follow-up, there was no progression of the hamartoma and pain regressed gradually. Without secondary development of localized hyperhidrosis, the diagnosis could not have been made. Careful comparison of pathology findings and clinical expression are essential for the diagnosis of eccrine angiomatous hamartoma.

Abdominal Muscles↗

[Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare subcutaneous abscess after injections of interferon alpha in a patient treated for lymphoma].

INTRODUCTION: Cutaneous involvement with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare is usually observed in disseminated disease but cutaneous infection alone without bacteraemia is uncommon. CASE REPORT: We report a case of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare subcutaneous abscess of the thigh in a 32-year-old woman with lymphoma. The lesion was treated with drainage, excision and chemotherapeutic agents. Inoculation was probably secondary to alpha interferon injections performed during one year. DISCUSSION: The review of the literature shows that isolated Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare skin infections are rare, probably induced by traumatic percutaneous inoculation, frequently in immunocompromised patients. The pro-infectious effect of interferon alpha is considered. Treatment is unsatisfactory and surgical excision is often necessary.

Abscess↗

[Localized bilateral and symmetrical neurofibromatosis].

INTRODUCTION: We report the first case of bilateral neurofibromatosis localized distally on the lower limbs. CASE REPORT: A 36-year-old woman presented about 20 nodular lesions of the plantar and both lateral aspects of both feet which developed progressively after age 30. Histology examination evidenced neurofibromas. Clinical features and laboratory results enabled us to eliminate von Recklinghausen disease in this mother of 3 children. DISCUSSION: This observation allowed us to situate symmetrical and bilateral neurofibromatosis in the Riccardi classification for genetic counselling. We conclude that the case was a type V neurofibromatosis in a sporadic bilateral form, rarely reported in the literature.

Adult↗

[Local cutaneous necrosis after injection of interferon beta].

INTRODUCTION: Skin necrosis at the site of interferon injections is unusual. With beta-interferon, it has been observed with high doses ranging from 90 to 180 millions daily. CASE REPORT: Is reported a case of abdominal skin necrosis following 6 months treatment with beta-interferon injections, 9 millions 3 times a week, in a 56 years-old man with chronic type C hepatitis. Histological analysis showed fibrin thrombosis of deep dermal vessels. There was no coagulation abnormality. DISCUSSION: The mechanisms of the interferon induced skin necrosis are discussed.

Abdominal Muscles↗

[Disseminated cutaneous neurilemmomatosis].

INTRODUCTION: Neurilemmomatosis is a rare, non-inherited disease which has several features similar to type I neurofibromatosis. CASE REPORT: A 30-year-old man had more than 300 cutaneomucosal tumours. Most were sessile and of firm consistency on normal coloured skin. Histology reported masses of fusiform dermal cells S100 protein (+), NSE (-), actin (-). The cells had a polygonal ultrastructure with fine ramifications. Neurilemmomatosis (schwannomatosis) was diagnosed. No neurological or systemic disorder could be detected. The most bothersome tumors were destroyed. DISCUSSION: This is a typical anatomoclinical presentation of cutaneous neurilemmomatosis. This exceptional state raises the problem of differential diagnosis and nosological distinction from von Recklinhausen's disease. A characteristic feature in this case was the total absence of any malformation or associated tumour, notably neurological tumours. To our knowledge, this is the only documented case of disseminated neurilemmomatosis strictly limited to the skin.

Adult↗

[Perforating verruciform collagenoma, an exogenous inclusion skin disease? Apropos of a case induced by calcium chloride].

INTRODUCTION: Perforating verruciform collagenoma, first described in 1963, designates papular and keratotic post-trauma lesions which show an aspect of epidermal perforation microscopically with large fragments of collagen issuing through fistulous chimneys, more or less pycnotic polynuclears and squamating or necrotic epidermal cells. Three publications have presented this diagnosis. CASE REPORT: We observed a patient with multiple lesions with macroscopic and microscopic presentations suggestive of perforating verruciform collagenoma. The lesions appeared after scratches and inoculation with calcium chloride. DISCUSSION: This case is similar to those observed after intradermal inoculation of calcium salts. In the 4 previous cases, perforating verruciform collagenoma was associated with trauma allowing the intradermal penetration of a particular foreign material (glass wool, vegetable debris, drugs or intravenous injections, wound caused by a metallic garbage bin). The exceptional nature of perforating verruciform collagenoma in highly frequent skin wounds would suggest that a very particular post-trauma process is occurring caused by the introduction of an exogenous substance within the derma: calcium chloride in our case, a non-specific material in the four previous cases.

Adult↗

[Verruciform xanthoma of the penis].

Verruciform xanthoma (VX) usually occurs within the oral cavity, rarely in the genital areas. A case of VX on uncircumcised penis is reported in a 58 year-old man without prior history of sexual transmitted disease; histological features are characteristic and staining of the foam cells are positive with CD68 and negative with S100 protein. Etiological factors of the VX are uncertain and in the genital localizations a viral cause has not been proved.

Electrocoagulation↗

[Perianal basal cell carcinoma. Apropos of 2 cases].

INTRODUCTION: Two cases of perianal basal cell carcinoma were reported. Less than 100 cases have been so far described. OBSERVATIONS: The first case was a pigmented tumour, in the second an erosive erythematous plaque somewhat similar to Paget's disease. COMMENTS: Basal cell carcinoma of the anal margin is about 15-fold less common than squamous cell carcinoma. The tumour is often ulcerated, sometimes infiltrative but metastasis never occurs. Histopathological findings are often close to what is observed in cloacogenic carcinoma. Surgical resection of the lesion is the best treatment but electrontherapy permitted lesion healing in one of our cases.

Aged↗

[Tufted folliculitis of the scalp].

INTRODUCTION: Tufted hair folliculitis is a localized scarring bacterial folliculitis due to Staphylococcus aureus. We present two cases. OBSERVATIONS: Both patients were in their thirties. The first had had an inflammatory sclerous lesion of the vertex for three years, and the second an alopecial scarring lesion. Clinically there were tufts of hair within or around the lesions. Staphylococcus aureus was found in biopsy samples which showed hairs or composed follicles. Prolonged treatment with oral antibiotics led to progressive limitation of the lesions. DISCUSSION: Tufted hair folliculitis is a characteristic folliculitis of the scalp showing scar formation and the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. The review of the literature raises the question of the role of local immunity and the nature of the hair tufts: primary anomaly or secondary to Staphylococcus infection? The therapeutic attitude is not well defined but prolonged treatment with oral antibiotics can stabilize the lesions.

Adult↗

[Loose anagen hair syndrome].

A typical case of loose anagen hair syndrome in a 4-year old girl is reported here. The key signs of this disease are the absence of hair cut since infancy, an easy and painless uprooting of the hairs and a 100 p. 100 anageneity of the hairs with distorted bulbs on trichograms. There is no known treatment of this anomaly. Cosmetically, the course of the disease is usually favourable, but abnormal trichograms and fragility of the hairs persist in adulthood. A brief review of the literature concerning this probably underestimated condition is presented.

Alopecia↗

[Superficial disseminated porokeratosis with dermal amyloidosis].

A case of non-actinic disseminated superficial porokeratosis with dermal amyloid deposits in a 53 year-old-man is reported. The lesions of the trunk and arms were typical, but annular lesions of the ankles were lichenoid. The amyloid deposits were present under the cornoid lamella in the typical lesions and absent in the annular lesions. The different clinical variants of porokeratosis are discussed. The origin of amyloidosis is debated; it seems to be epidermic, due to degeneration of the keratinocytes. The secondary cutaneous amyloidosis is usually described in association with epithelial tumors or psoriasis, but exceptionally with porokeratosis.

Amyloidosis↗

[Epidermal cyst and osteolysis of the cranial vault].

In a 40-year old man undergoing, under local anaesthesia, excision of an epidermal cyst located in the frontal region, at the border of the scalp, the operator had difficulties in removing the deep part of the cyst and perceived an underlying bone depression. The depression was caused by a 2 x 1.3 cm wide lacuna in the calvarium, which was subsequently treated by neurosurgeons. Histology showed only fragments of a simple epidermal cyst wall and no evidence of dermoid cyst. The causes of osteolysis associated with congenital or acquired skin lesions are reviewed. In this case, the old age and volume of the cyst may explain the osteolysis by mechanical compression. This case is exceptional since we were unable to find other examples in the literature, apart from dermoid and trichilemmal cysts.

Adult↗