1/6. Phylloid pattern of pigmentary disturbance in a case of complex mosaicism.Among the various types of pigmentary disturbances associated with mosaicism, the phylloid pattern (Greek phyllon = leaf, eidos = form) is characterized by multiple leaf-like patches reminiscent of an art nouveau painting. The number of cases displaying this unusual pattern is so far limited. We describe a phylloid pattern of hypomelanosis in a 3-year-old girl with multiple congenital anomalies including microcephaly, midfacial hypoplasia, cleft lip, coloboma, posteriorly rotated ears, pectus carinatum, and pronounced mental and physical retardation. In addition, this child had oval or oblong patches of hyperpigmentation involving the trunk in a horizontal arrangement dissimilar from the phylloid hypomelanotic pattern. In peripheral blood lymphocytes a karyotype 46,XX,-13, t(13q;13q) was consistently found, whereas cultured skin fibroblasts showed a complex form of mosaicism comprising three different abnormal cell lines (46,XX,-13, t(13q;13q)/45,XX,-13/45,XX,-13, frag). This case provides further evidence that the phylloid pattern represents a separate category of pigmentary disturbance to be distinguished from other types of cutaneous mosaicism such as the lines of Blaschko or the checkerboard arrangement.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/6. melanosis of the vagina. A case report.BACKGROUND: melanosis is a term given to lesions in which melanin pigment is confined to the basal layer of squamous epithelium and on visual inspection may have an appearance similar to that of malignant melanoma. Although relatively common in the oral and gastrointestinal tract, melanosis is an uncommon finding in the female genital tract and especially rare in the vagina; most reported cases have been vulvar. CASE: A 43-year-old, nulliparous woman was noted to have a pigmented lesion at the vaginal cuff during a routine annual examination one year after a hysterectomy. On physical examination, the lesion appeared as a coalescence of several small, pigmented areas at the cuff. On palpation the lesion was flat, having the contour of normal vaginal mucosa, and was not indurated or tender. A biopsy revealed vaginal melanosis. The patient was followed conservatively, with annual examinations, which documented no change in color, size or contour of the lesion. At this writing the patient is six years from presentation and doing well. CONCLUSION: Vaginal melanosis may be difficult to distinguish clinically from malignant melanoma but carries a much different prognosis. A biopsy of any pigmented lesion is always indicated prior to determining the need for therapy versus observation.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 14.351357571888keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/6. Neurocutaneous melanosis with transposition of the great arteries and renal agenesis.Neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) is rare and is characterized by the proliferation of melanocytes in the central nervous system. A 6-day-old infant boy was referred to our department with giant congenital melanocytic nevi and convulsions. On physical examination the patient had a giant black-brown pigmented nevus covering his face, neck, scalp, shoulders, back, chest, and abdomen. Numerous satellite lesions were noted on the face, neck, and upper extremities. In the right bulbar conjunctiva, a brown plaque was present. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed hyperintense areas in the brain on short repetition time/short echo time sequences, compatible with intraparenchymal melanin deposits. No leptomeningeal abnormality was seen. Further investigation also revealed agenesis of the right kidney and transposition of the great arteries. Transposition of the great arteries, which has never been reported in NCM, may be an incidental finding. We present a case of NCM associated with agenesis of the right kidney and transposition of the great arteries.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 14.351357571888keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/6. Approach to a dark spot on the conjunctiva.Although malignant melanoma most often develops in the skin, it can also arise in several layers of the eye. Therefore, new dark brown or black spots on the conjunctiva must be recognized during physical examination and then evaluated. When melanoma is suspected, there should be no hesitation in performing excisional biopsy under local anesthesia. The differential diagnosis includes melanocytic nevi and primary or secondary melanosis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 14.351357571888keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/6. Transient neonatal pustular melanosis.A Mexican-American boy presented at birth with an extensive eruption consisting of 0.5 to 1.0 cm hyperpigmented macules with a distinct peripheral scale involving primarily the forearms, abdomen and lower back (Fig. 1). Rare intact vesicopustules were also identified. There was an unremarkable prenatal history, and the infant was a product of a normal vaginal delivery. With the exception of the skin lesions and moderate hepatosplenomegaly, the physical examination was normal. Gram stains of the pustules showed numerous neutrophils but no bacteria. Bacterial cultures, of the skin and blood, TORCH screen (toxoplasmosis, rubella, cytomegalic virus, and herpes virus) and a VDRL were negative. On the second day of life, the patient developed several pustules with surrounding erythema consistent with erythema toxicum neonatorum. Wright-stained smears of these lesions showed abundant eosinophils. Hepatosplenomegaly resolved by the third day of life and at the time of discharge only hyperpigmented macules persisted. Follow-up visit six weeks later showed no evidence of skin lesions.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 14.351357571888keywords = physical examination, physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/6. Cutaneous hypermelanosis and intramelanotic lipid droplets.Intramelanocytic lipid droplets have been observed in 12 patients with different types of hypermelanosis of the skin. These include drug-induced hypermelanosis, hypermelanosis secondary to use of physical agents, hypermelanotic morphea, generalized scleroderma with diffuse hypermelanosis, a hyperkeratotic tumor in xeroderma pigmentosum, aberrant mongolian spot, and methoxsalen-ultraviolet-A-induced hypermelanosis. Lipid storage was selectively observed in melanocytes. Most of the melanocytes with lipid vacuoles showed ultrastructural signs of hyperactive melanosome synthesis and certain cytoplasmic abnormalities such as melanosomal autophagic vacuole formation and mitochondrial alterations. The importance and the origin of the lipid droplets remain unclear.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = physical (Clic here for more details about this article) |