1 “Dermatologic emergencies” sounds like an oxymoron. Are there dermatologic emergencies? Yes, while perhaps not as ubiquitous as other areas of medicine, there are some dermatologic emergencies. In some of these emergent conditions, the skin is the primary organ affected…
1 How often do internal malignancies metastasize to the skin? Cutaneous metastases from internal malignancies are uncommon, with a reported incidence that varies from less than 1% to over 10%. The largest autopsy study including 7500 patients with internal malignancies…
1 What are tumors of fibrous tissue? Tumors of fibrous tissue (“soft tissue tumors”) are typically mesenchymal tumors composed of fibroblasts and variants of fibroblasts. Fibroblasts produce the structural components of the dermis, including collagen, elastin, and ground substance (dermal…
“Know syphilis in all of its manifestations and relations, and all other things clinical will be added unto you.” –Sir William Osler, 1897 1 What causes syphilis? Syphilis is caused by the spirochete Treponema pallidum , ssp. pallidum , which…
Staphylococcal infections 1 Which bacterium is the most common cause of skin infections? Staphylococcus aureus . There are two types of S. aureus infections—methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) infections and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections. These two types of infections are…
1 How are vasculitic disorders defined and classified? Vasculitis is defined as inflammation of blood vessels. Vasculitis may be confined to the skin; however, the majority of cases of cutaneous vasculitis are part of multisystemic disorders that in addition to…
1 How does a pustule differ from a vesicle or bulla? A pustule is a purulent vesicle or bulla. Whereas a vesicle contains clear or translucent fluid, a pustule is filled with neutrophils or, less commonly, eosinophils. Pustules are one…