All News

Pseudoporphyria

A 79-year-old nursing home resident was hospitalized for evaluation of hyperkalemia and leukocytosis. Her medical history included hypertension, respiratory failure with subsequent tracheostomy placement and ventilator dependency, and anemia. Both of her legs had been amputated above the knee secondary to complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The mother of a 7-year-old boy with cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome sought treatment for the cutaneous aspects of her son's disease. Dry skin and keratosis pilaris of the upper outer arms were noted.

Cleidocranial Dysostosis

During his last routine pediatric visit, a 4-month-old boy with a large head circumference (98th percentile for his age) was referred for radiographic evaluation. The infant had been delivered by cesarean birth because of cephalopelvic disproportion; his head size had gradually increased since birth. There was a family history of this condition.

After 3 months of seeing this painless mass at the angle of the 3-year-old's left jaw, his parents sought medical advice for their son. The youngster had no constitutional symptoms. A Mantoux test was performed, and an erythematous, indurated area measuring 15 mm in diameter was found at the test site 48 hours later.

Miliaria Rubra

This erythematous, papulovesicular eruption developed in a hospitalized patient who had a febrile illness that was accompanied by drenching sweats. Miliaria rubra, or prickly heat, is caused by sweat trapped in obstructed eccrine glands of the epidermis. Inflammation, irritation, and pruritus can occur along with the rash.

Redness, irritation, and diplopia developed over 2 to 3 weeks in a 55-year-old man's left eye. The injection worsened and was unresponsive to eye drops. Ptosis, mild proptosis, and elevated intraocular pressure developed. A bruit was auscultated over the affected eye.

Milroy's Disease

A 46-year-old woman was examined because of cellulitis of the right leg, which she said had been swollen for 30 years.

Poikiloderma of Civatte

A 44-year-old woman was being seen regularly for skin manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). During a routine visit, blotchy erythema and hyperpigmentation were noted on the normally exposed areas of her neck and upper chest; the submental area was spared. Close examination revealed fine telangiectases and poorly marginated hyperpigmented and hypopigmented macules.

Juvenile Polyp

A 2-year-old girl presents to the pediatric emergency department (ED) for evaluation of a fleshy mass protruding from her rectum. The mass, which had been present for 1 day, protruded spontaneously and not during defecation. There is no history of cough, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, or parasitic or chronic disease. However, the child has been having episodic, painless bleeding during the past month. There is no family history of GI disease.

Endobronchial Sarcoidosis

A 40-year-old man was being treated as an outpatient with inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators for a presumed diagnosis of bronchial asthma. Worsening episodes of shortness of breath during the past few months sent him to the emergency department for a second opinion.

Lipodermoid Choristoma

The raised, fleshy lesion over the lateral conjunctiva of this 7-month-old girl's right eye has been present and gradually enlarging since birth. Consultation with a pediatric ophthalmologist yielded a diagnosis of lipodermoid choristoma, a dermoid-type congenital malformation of the conjunctiva or epibulbar region. Histologic examination reveals benign fatty and ectopic lacrimal tissue and epidermal structures.

Myxedema Heart

Over the previous 6 months, a 59-year-old man had experienced lethargy, fatigue, poor appetite, cold intolerance, and abdominal distention. His vital signs were normal; physical examination revealed periorbital and pretibial edema, distant heart sounds, and delayed reflexes.

Polydactyly

This neonate was born with an extra hypoplastic digit attached to the lateral aspect of the left little finger's middle phalanx. When informed of this anomaly on her daughter's hand, the mother registered neither shock nor surprise. Mother, grandmother, and other family members were similarly affected.

Sideroblastic Anemia

A 70-year-old woman with a history of ischemic heart disease was hospitalized because of generalized weakness, fatigue, and retrosternal chest pain on mild exertion. Her skin was pallid. Chest and heart evaluations were normal, and mild hepatosplenomegaly was discerned.

A 42-year-old woman was hospitalized with an increasingly painful, ulcerated swelling of the right lateral thigh. The patient reported that while cleaning out her attic, she suddenly experienced an excruciating burning sensation in her thigh. Immediately, she rubbed the area with ice, which provided partial relief. An ulcer developed 24 hours later and began to enlarge.

Dermatitis Herpetiformis

A 40-year-old man presented with tiny, intensely pruritic vesicles on the knees, legs, buttocks, elbows, and scalp.

Encephalocele

This 3-year-old child was brought to our ear, nose, and throat clinic for evaluation of the nasal mass that had developed over the previous few months, reports Dr Paul E. Lomeo of Muskegon, Mich. The youngster was known to have congenital problems, including cardiac, renal, and craniofacial anomalies. There was no identified syndrome associated with his health.

Bronze Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus recently had been diagnosed in a 58-year-old woman. The patient claims that her skin had darkened significantly over the past 5 years.

Concern about this flat, tan, atrophic, well-marginated, dime-sized lesion prompted a 44-year-old woman to seek medical advice. The lesion, which was mildly pruritic, had appeared 2 months earlier.

Boerhaave Syndrome

An 85-year-old white woman was brought to the emergency department (ED) with acute, severe left posterolateral chest wall pain of several hours' duration. The nonradiating pain was accompanied by shortness of breath. She denied palpitations, diaphoresis, syncope, or dizziness.