Polishing-paste-induced silica granuloma of the gingiva

Polishing-paste-induced silica granuloma of the gingiva, an uncommon condition, may mimic various local or systemic pathological entities. A 33-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man were referred for a localised refractory gingival inflammation. Clinical diagnoses included allergy, lichen planus and herpes. Biopsy showed well-demarcated non-caseating granulomas, associating epithelioid and Langhans giant cells. Special bacterial and mycological stains were negative. Systemic examination and laboratory tests ruled out sarcoidosis and Crohn's disease. Polarised light revealed birefringent crystalline foreign material. A diagnosis of silica granuloma was made. Both patients had frequent dental hygiene treatment including polishing with abrasive paste, suggesting an iatrogenic implantation of the foreign bodies. Gingival damage can result from the use of some dental materials containing silica. Often asymptomatic, sometimes producing visible lesions, granulomatous gingivitis may mislead into wrong diagnosis and treatment. Old silica granulomas may become symptomatic if the patient contracts sarcoidosis.     

Facial granulomatous diseases: a study of four cases tested for the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA using nested polymerase chain reaction

The histopathologic diagnosis of cutaneous tuberculosis (CTB) is often troublesome, because there are several other entities (tuberculids, demodicidosis, granulomatous rosacea, and acne agminata) that may display granulomatous inflammation with caseation necrosis. The current study describes four cases of granulomatous disease of the face. The final diagnosis (assessed on the basis of the clinical response to therapy) was CTB in three cases and granulomatous rosacea in one case. Histologically, epithelioid granulomas were a constant feature; in one case of CTB, they displayed a palisading (granuloma annulare-like) arrangement. Caseation necrosis was a prominent feature only in the case of granulomatous rosacea. Routinely processed biopsy specimens were evaluated with nested polymerase chain reaction (nPCR) for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MBT) DNA. The correlation between nPCR results and clinical outcome was less than optimal; in fact, one case showed an excellent clinical response to the antituberculous drug therapy despite the absence of MBT DNA amplification. In granulomatous diseases of the face, the importance of evaluating not only nPCR but the overall clinicopathologic picture so as to avoid diagnostic misinterpretations is emphasized.     

A rare case of lupoid leishmaniasis defying diagnosis for a decade

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a common disease affecting millions in endemic areas worldwide. We present a case of lupoid leishmaniasis, a rare variant of CL, which clinically mimicked sarcoidosis and/or granulomatous rosacea for 10 years until ultimate diagnosis. An 82-year-old U.S. citizen with an extensive travel history presented with a 10-year history of facial plaques on the cheeks and was previously diagnosed and treated as sarcoidosis. Multiple biopsies (previously and at presentation) revealed tuberculoid granulomas with negative special stains for microorganisms and negative sterile tissue cultures for acid-fast bacilli, bacteria, and fungal organisms. A diagnosis of granulomatous rosacea was rendered and multiple medical therapies were attempted, none with sustained improvement. Repeat biopsy of a new lesion revealed intracellular organisms consistent with leishmaniasis, which was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Lupoid leishmaniasis is a rare presentation of CL including facial plaques that can mimic granulomatous diseases affecting the face including sarcoidosis and granulomatous rosacea. CL can sometimes be challenging to diagnose through standard histopathologic examination; immunohistochemistry for CD1a can be used to augment tissue-based examination and PCR should be sent early in cases with sufficient concern.     

Lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei: a distinctive rosacea-like syndrome and not a granulomatous form of rosacea

BACKGROUND: Lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei is an eruption of discrete red-brown, dome-shaped papules, histologically characterized by epithelioid cell granulomas. The pathogenesis of the disorder remains controversial. OBJECTIVE: The authors discuss the place of lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei among granulomatous disorders. METHODS: This report reviews the available literature and presents 3 patients with lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei. RESULTS: The histopathologic characteristics of lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei--an epithelioid cell granuloma with central necrosis--may be found in granulomatous rosacea, whilst the clinical features and course of lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei are often similar to cutaneous sarcoidosis. CONCLUSIONS: We put forward lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei as a distinctive rosacea-like syndrome and not as a granulomatous form of rosacea.     

Unusual histopathological features of cutaneous leishmaniasis identified by polymerase chain reaction specific for Leishmania on paraffin-embedded skin biopsies

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is rare in Northern Europe and may be overlooked because colleagues have little experience with it. OBJECTIVES: To identify manifestations of CL that may escape diagnosis. METHODS: Correlation of clinical diagnosis and histopathological findings in 28 biopsy specimens taken from 19 patients with CL confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) specific for Leishmania. RESULTS: In only one patient was the clinical diagnosis CL; other diagnoses included: malignant epithelial neoplasms (5), follicular cyst (2), atypical mycobacteriosis (1), sarcoidosis (2) and lymphoma (1). Lesions were single (15) or few (4) nodules predominantly situated on the extremities or face (16). Histopathological findings were diagnostic of CL in only 10 cases. In nine cases Leishmania was not identified microscopically; histopathological diagnoses were: granulomatous dermatitis (6), lupoid rosacea (1), foreign body granuloma (1) and granuloma annulare (1). Unaltered epidermis (9), nodular infiltrates (5), numerous multinucleated histiocytes (3), palisaded granulomas with fibrinoid centres (2), sarcoidal granulomas (4) and elastophagocytosis (1) misled the histopathologists in these cases. CONCLUSIONS: CL seems often to be misdiagnosed clinically in countries where it is not endemic. Histopathologically, CL may be misinterpreted as sarcoidosis, foreign body granuloma, lupoid rosacea and granuloma annulare, especially when Leishmania is not seen microscopically. We suggest that in Northern Europe, PCR for Leishmania-specific DNA should be performed routinely in any granulomatous dermatitis presenting as a single or few nodules on the extremities or face, even when a diagnosis of CL was not considered by the referring clinician.     

Lupus vulgaris developing at the site of misdiagnosed scrofuloderma

Cutaneous tuberculosis is a rare form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis primarily occurring in developing countries. The recent increase in the incidence of tuberculosis, especially due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections, has led to a resurgence of extrapulmonary forms of this disease. We describe a case of lupus vulgaris in a 33-year-old woman who had a 5-year history of a slowly growing plaque on her neck. The lesion was located at the site of surgery repairing the scar resulting from the incision of a subcutaneous abscess during childhood. This lesion was misdiagnosed as bacterial abscess. Histopathologic examination of the plaque revealed non-caseating tuberculoid granulomas consisting of lymphocytes, epithelioid and giant cells. Staining for acid-fast bacilli and culture from biopsied tissue was negative. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis DNA, performed on a skin biopsy specimen, was positive. A diagnosis of lupus vulgaris developing at the site of a previous misdiagnosed scrofuloderma was made. Conventional antitubercular therapy with rifampicin, isoniazid and ethambutol was administered for 6 months, resulting in resolution of the lesion.     

Interstitial granulomatous lesions as part of the spectrum of presenting cutaneous signs in pediatric sarcoidosis

Abstract:  Skin findings in childhood sarcoidosis vary greatly, but only a few occurrences have been published in which the histopathology has been characterized well. We describe a child with sarcoidosis in whom the cutaneous findings were atypical, resembling granuloma annulare. Histologic examination of these cutaneous lesions, however, revealed areas of sarcoid-like epithelioid cell granulomas, a palisading granulomatous process with features of granuloma annulare, as well as palisading neutrophilic and granulomatous dermatitis and interstitial granulomatous dermatitis. This underscores the variability of skin findings in childhood sarcoidosis—even within the same patient—and suggests that sarcoidosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of children initially diagnosed with granulomatous skin lesions, such as granuloma annulare, palisading neutrophilic, and granulomatous dermatitis or interstitial granulomatous dermatitis, who demonstrate associated signs of systemic disease.     

F.I.GU.R.E.: facial idiopathic granulomas with regressive evolution. is 'lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei' still an acceptable diagnosis in the third millennium?

We report the case of a 69-year-old woman who presented a papular eruption on the eyelids. Histological features revealed a tuberculoid granuloma with a central caseating necrosis. Laboratory and radiological investigations revealed no tuberculosis and no systemic granulomatosis. Absence of vascular symptoms, inefficiency of cyclines and histopathological findings excluded granulomatous-type rosacea. Lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei (LMDF) was our final diagnosis. On the basis of our findings and a literature review, we believe that LMDF is an entity distinct from either skin tuberculosis or granulomatous-type rosacea. However, its name is confusing, and we propose to change it to 'facial idiopathic granulomas with regressive evolution (FIGURE)'.     

Lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei

Lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei also known as acne agminata is a rare disease affecting face in adults. Previously, it was thought to be a tuberculid; and its relation with rosacea is undefined. We report a case who had multiple yellowish brown to erythematous small papular lesions and many pitted atrophic scars on the face of 8 months duration. Investigations for tuberculosis were negative. Histopathology revealed tuberculoid granuloma.     

Cutaneous silica granuloma with generalized involvement of lymph nodes

We report a case of cutaneous silica granuloma with generalized involvement of distal lymph nodes; no similar case has been reported in the published work. The 45-year-old man was a stonemason who had been incidentally sprayed with rock dust from a saw 22 years ago. The subject presented with nodules and erythematous areas on his face and chin. In addition, there was swelling in the cervical and inguinal lymph nodes. An excised lymph node had normal architecture with numerous non-caseating epithelioid cell granuloma and silicotic nodules which contained scattered, multinucleated, giant cells. There were particles in the granuloma exhibiting birefringence under polarized light microscopy. Elemental X-ray spectra of these lesions showed the presence of silica in these granulomas.     

Rosacea: histopathologic study of 75 cases

Few histological studies have been devoted to rosacea, a common but ill-defined disease. We have examined histological sections obtained from 75 patients (41 men aged from 23 to 72 years and 34 women aged from 32 to 68 years), thereby confirming the diagnosis of rosacea. On average, 4 sections from each patient were examined. Blocks from cases with granuloma were serially sectioned in search of remains of hair follicles, degenerated collagen fibres and Demodex folliculorum. Elastotic degeneration, vasodilatation and the number of hair follicles were evaluated; the nature and disposition of inflammatory infiltrates were determined, and the presence of D. folliculorum was looked for. Elastotic degeneration, varying degrees of vasodilatation and inflammatory infiltrates were found in all patients. The infiltrates were predominantly lympho-histiocytic in 62 cases, neutrophilic around skin appendages in 6 cases, tuberculoid unrelated to appendages in 4 cases and tuberculoid surrounding follicle-related necrosis in 3 cases. The number and appearance of hair follicles seemed to be those normally observed in the regions where our specimens were taken. On the basis of histological, immunological and therapeutic arguments, it has been postulated that D. folliculorum was involved in the pathogenesis of rosacea, notably in its granulomatous form. In particular, several cases of granuloma containing the acarid in its core have been reported. However, the significance of such findings remains uncertain. D. folliculorum might induce the formation of a granuloma, but it is also possible that granulomas are consecutive to the destruction and resorption of hair follicles, the mite being "digested" more slowly than the epithelial structures.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A case of granulomatous rosacea successfully treated with pimecrolimus cream

A 43-year-old male attended with lesions on his face that had been present for 3 months. On dermatological examination, multiple papules and pustules were seen on the forehead, nose, bilateral cheeks and lower eyelids. The patient used systemic clindamycin and doxycycline and topical benzoyl peroxide therapies, but the lesions did not regress. Routine laboratory tests were normal. Histopathological examination of the lesions confirmed the diagnosis of granulomatous rosacea. Pimecrolimus cream 1% was applied to the lesions. The regression of lesions began in the first month and complete improvement was observed at the end of the fourth month of therapy. Rosacea is a chronic, inflammatory skin disorder characterized by remissions and relapses. Although it is known that the disease is a treatable disorder, it may be resistant to standard therapies and there is a need for new therapy alternatives in some patients. We present a case of granulomatous rosacea successfully treated with pimecrolimus cream and believe that pimecrolimus may be a good alternative for the treatment of granulomatous rosacea.     

Idiopathic facial aseptic granuloma

Idiopathic facial aseptic granuloma (IFAG) is a condition that is commonly encountered in clinical practice, but is rarely reported. It appears in childhood and its pathogenesis is still unknown. It has a benign course with resolution within a few months without aggressive treatment. Microbiological tests are negative and histological findings are nonspecific. It is possible that this condition is part of the spectrum of granulomatous rosacea in childhood. We present two cases in which diagnosis of IFAG was established and resolved without sequelae following topical antibiotic treatment.     

Actinic granuloma

A 45-year-old man presented with a 3-year history of asymptomatic, annular, erythematous plaques on the face and neck. Histopathologic examination showed sarcoidal granulomas with an associated mixed-cell infiltrate, loss of elastic fibers, and no increase in mucin. These findings were consistent with a diagnosis of actinic granuloma, which is an uncommon, idiopathic disease that is characterized by granuloma annulare-like plaques on sun-exposed areas.     

Rosacea under the microscope: characteristic histological findings

Rosacea is a common facial dermatosis that is seldom biopsied; thus, histological aspects have not been well described. Biopsies are generally performed in the presence of atypical symptoms (e.g. granulomas). Differential diagnosis with sarcoidosis, lupus miliaris or lupus erythematosus is another indication for biopsy. There are few published studies addressing the microscopic aspects of rosacea and describing the histological and immunohistochemical features of this disease. While some textbooks consider the microscopic signs of rosacea to be non‐diagnostic, experienced dermatopathologists are generally able to make the diagnosis via histology. This article discusses the specific combinations of histological features that are highly suggestive of rosacea.     

Cutaneous sarcoidal granulomas in a patient with primary biliary cirrhosis.

We report here the case of a fifty-year-old Japanese woman with a history of primary biliary cirrhosis who presented with a sarcoidal granulomatous plaque on the face. Although the occurrence of extra-hepatic granulomas and primary biliary cirrhosis has been documented, this is the first case report of cutaneous sarcoidal granulomas in the absence of demonstrable sarcoidosis occurring in a patient with primary biliary cirrhosis. Because primary biliary cirrhosis and sarcoidosis are systemic granulomatous diseases of unknown cause, the coexistence of findings compatible with both entities has led to speculation that they are related. We provide a brief review of these two diseases to help examine this hypothesis.     

Should Idiopathic Facial Aseptic Granuloma Be Considered Granulomatous Rosacea? Report of Three Pediatric Cases

Abstract: Idiopathic facial aseptic granuloma (IFAG), or pyodermite froide du visage, is a skin disease reported only in children and characterized by painless red nodules usually located on the cheeks. Its etiology is still unclear, but some authors considered the possibility that IFAG might be included in the spectrum of granulomatous rosacea (GR). The histopathological features of IFAG and GR are quite similar, showing perifolliculitis, granulomas, folliculitis, and lymphocytes and plasmacells around epithelioid histiocytes. In the present article, we discuss three cases in which an association between a facial nodule, compatible with both IFAG and GR, and recurrent chalazia make us support the hypothesis that IFAG should be considered as GR.     

Localization of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in granulomas of sarcoidosis cutaneous lesions

Using an immunofluorescent technique, the localization of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) was investigated in granuloma lesions from the skin of three sarcoidosis cases. Specific fluorescence was observed in epithelioid cells in the sarcoidosis granulomas examined. However, it was not found in any other granulomatous diseases observed as controls, which included granuloma annulare, foreign body granuloma and lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei. These results indicate that ACE is specifically localized in the epithelioid cells in cutaneous granuloma lesions of sarcoidosis; in one case, it was also observed in Langhans giant cells. Therefore, it is suggested that examination for ACE in cutaneous lesions using an immunofluorescent technique is very useful for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis in the skin. We suggest that epithelioid cells of granulomas in sarcoidosis cutaneous lesions may play an important role in the increase of serum ACE activity.     

Childhood granulomatous periorificial dermatitis: lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei in children?

BACKGROUND: Childhood granulomatous periorificial dermatitis (CGPD) is a granulomatous disease characterized by monomorphous, small papular eruptions around the mouse, nose and eyes, and is thought to be closely related to perioral dermatitis. This condition has always been believed to occur more commonly in dark-skinned patients; however, recent observations have revealed CGPD to occur also in white patients. OBSERVATION: We report an 11-year-old Japanese boy with the characteristic features of CGPD. Although sarcoidosis and acne/granulomatous rosacea could be differentiated from CGPD, we could find no essential differences between CGPD and lupus miliaris disseminatus faciei (LMDF). The cases of LMDF in children, which were recorded in the Japanese literature, had highly similar clinicopathological features to those of CGPD. This case responded dramatically to topical tacrolimus in combination with the oral administration of minocycline. CONCLUSIONS: The entity 'facial idiopathic granulomas with regressive evolution' is considered to include LMDF (a common adult form), CGPD (a rare childhood form) and perioral dermatitis (a peculiar form exacerbated by topical corticosteroids). Topical tacrolimus may be recommended as one of the therapies for LMDF as well as CGPD.     

淋巴瘤伴发皮肤肉芽肿的现象及其意义

淋巴瘤可伴发皮肤肉芽肿,其模式主要有两种:一种是淋巴瘤的特异性皮损中出现肉芽肿反应,例如肉芽肿性蕈样肉芽肿和肉芽肿性皮肤松弛症;另一种是淋巴瘤出现非特异的肉芽肿性皮损,主要见于一些系统性淋巴瘤.其组织病理学类型可为结节病样、环状肉芽肿样、结核样等.其机制及其与预后的关系尚不明确.肉芽肿形成可能是造成某些淋巴瘤特殊临床表现的原因,也容易掩盖淋巴瘤的真实面目,在临床和组织学诊断上需谨慎.