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S M Olbricht

Publications and source records attributed to S M Olbricht.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Immunohistochemical characterization of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans with practical applications for diagnosis and treatment.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a rare, clinically challenging, soft tissue tumor. The main histologic differential of DFSP is usually a dermatofibroma. In 1990, the first report appeared demonstrating that cells of DFSP express the human progenitor antigen CD34 on their surface. Since then, there have been increasing reports of the usefulness of immunohistochemical staining with CD34 to differentiate DFSP from dermatofibroma and other soft tissue tumors. This literature is reviewed with special emphasis on the insights studies have provided into the histogenesis of DFSP. The literature demonstrating the practical applications of CD34 staining in the diagnosis and treatment of DFSP is also discussed.

Antigens, CD34↗
PubMed1997

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP): growth characteristics based on tumor modeling and a review of cases treated with Mohs micrographic surgery.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a relatively rare cutaneous tumor that is clinically challenging since it is locally highly invasive and aggressive, although it rarely metastasizes. Traditionally, wide and deep local surgical excision has been regarded as the treatment of choice for DFSP. However, even 3-cm-wide local excision margins have resulted in a local recurrence rate of 11%. In recent years, reports of DFSPs successfully treated with Mohs micrographic surgery have been appearing in the literature. The DFSP literature is reviewed here, including worldwide experience reported to date in the use of Mohs surgery to excise DFSPs. Using this margin control technique, the recurrence rate is shown to be 2.4%, much lower than the best previously reported recurrence rate of 11% when wide local excision was used. Three-dimensional reconstructions of DFSPs, based on Mohs micrographic surgical technique, are also presented. These illustrations provide new insight into the growth characteristics of these tumors and why Mohs micrographic surgery is emerging as the treatment of choice for DFSP.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Complications of cutaneous surgery in patients who are taking warfarin, aspirin, or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: No controlled studies exist with regard to the risks of continuing therapy with warfarin sodium or platelet inhibitors or the benefits of briefly discontinuing therapy with these agents in patients who are undergoing cutaneous surgical procedures. Our objective was to determine the frequency of complications of cutaneous surgery in patients who were receiving warfarin or platelet inhibitors and to evaluate whether preoperative discontinuation reduces complications. A retrospective, controlled study was performed of complications of excisional and Mohs micrographic surgery in 653 patients who were being treated with warfarin or platelet inhibitors or with their medications being briefly withheld. RESULTS: Severe complications of cutaneous surgery in patients who are taking warfarin or platelet inhibitors are uncommon, occur in 1.6% of cases, and are not significantly increased compared with complications in control subjects. Furthermore, there was no statistically significant reduction in the rates of severe complications in patients who had their medications preoperatively held. CONCLUSION: Cutaneous surgery in patients who receive warfarin or platelet inhibitors is associated with a low risk of severe complications, not significantly reduced by brief preoperative discontinuation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Overexpression of vascular permeability factor (VPF/VEGF) and its endothelial cell receptors in delayed hypersensitivity skin reactions.

Delayed hypersensitivity (DH) is a T cell-mediated form of immune response characterized by a predominantly perivascular, mononuclear cell infiltrate. The venules in DH reactions are hyperpermeable to plasma proteins, leading to extravasation of plasma fibrinogen and its extravascular clotting to form a fibrin gel that promotes induration and angiogenesis. The mechanisms responsible for microvascular hyperpermeability in DH are unknown. Recently, a cytokine named vascular permeability factor (VPF, also known as vascular endothelial growth factor or VEGF) has been implicated in the chronic vascular hyperpermeability and angiogenesis of solid and ascites tumors, healing wounds, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. These findings suggested that VPF/VEGF might also have a role in the pathogenesis of DH. Two model systems were studied: allergic contact dermatitis to poison ivy in human volunteers and classical tuberculin hypersensitivity in rats. In both, in situ hybridization revealed that the mRNAs encoding VPF/VEGF were strikingly overexpressed in keratinocytes of the epidermis; scattered mononuclear cells infiltrating the dermis also overexpressed VPF/VEGF mRNA, to a greater extent in rat tuberculin than in human contact reactions. In contact reactions, mRNAs for two VPF/VEGF vascular endothelial cell receptors, flt-1 and KDR, were also strikingly overexpressed. Abundant fibrin deposition in both models confirmed that dermal microvessels were indeed hyperpermeable to plasma fibrinogen. These results implicate VPF/VEGF as a potentially important mediator in the pathogenesis of cell-mediated immunity and provide further evidence that products of epithelial cells may regulate the inflammatory response.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Use of the carbon dioxide laser in dermatologic surgery. A clinically relevant update for 1993.

BACKGROUND: The effective and safe use of the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser in the 1990s has been facilitated by technologic advances and widespread clinical use producing a better understanding of laser-tissue interactions, refinements in technique, and modifications of the list of indications. Safety guidelines have evolved from identification of complications. OBJECTIVE: To discuss the basic principles and applications of CO2 laser surgery. METHODS: Types of CO2 lasers and their applications are discussed. CONCLUSION: Today, use of the carbon dioxide laser simplifies many procedures, is reasonably safe, is effective for its intended usages, and is the preferred treatment of several cutaneous disorders.

Humans↗
PubMed1993

Treatment of malignant cutaneous tumors.

Malignant cutaneous tumors, consisting primarily of basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, are exceedingly common. Diagnosis is made by visual examination of the skin surface and biopsy of any suspicious lesions. Treatment for most tumors is surgical (excision), although some basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas may be cured by field destructive techniques (cryosurgery, electrodesiccation and curettage, radiotherapy, and laser surgery). Chemotherapy and immunotherapy may be helpful in the control of advanced, multiple, and metastatic cancers. To decrease morbidity and mortality from malignant cutaneous tumors, effort should be directed toward identification of early lesions as well as prevention.

Aftercare↗
PubMed1992

Periocular tumors.

Next to the fear of death from cancer, patients fear loss of sight more than anything else. They are especially fearful of the potential for visual impairment when confronted with the need to treat an eyelid neoplasm. Patients need reassurance that the treatment will not compromise vision and that their visual needs will be attended to. Optimally, the responsibilities for patient management are coordinated and shared in a team approach. Although many tumors around the eye are easily managed, a large proportion of them are significant by virtue of their size and location. These are best treated by a team that is prepared to provide optimal assessment, can deal with any size lesion and its repair, and is familiar with the spectrum of complications and their management.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1990

Immunohistochemical distinction of lymphomatoid papulosis and pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta.

Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) and pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta (PLEVA) are benign self-healing cutaneous eruptions that may be clinically and histologically similar. However LyP has a 5% to 20% risk of associated lymphoid malignancy, whereas PLEVA does not. To determine whether the immunophenotype of lymphoid cells is useful in the distinction of these two disorders, the pattern of expression of lymphoid cell lineage and activation antigens in nine cases of LyP and seven cases of PLEVA were compared. In all cases of LyP most larger cells expressed the activation antigen Ki-1 (CD30) and lacked expression of the T-cell antigen CD7 and at least one other T-cell antigen (CD2, CD3, CD5). In contrast, CD30-antigen expression was rare or absent in PLEVA, CD3- and CD7-antigen expression was found in all cases, and diminished expression of T-cell antigens (CD2 and CD5) was seen in only one case. Diffuse expression of HLA-DR antigen by epidermal keratinocytes was found in a greater proportion of PLEVA cases (6 of 7) than LyP cases (3 of 6). In addition, CD8+ cells predominated at the dermal/epidermal junction in 3 of 6 cases of PLEVA but in only 1 of 7 cases of LyP. We conclude that LyP and PLEVA can be distinguished immunohistochemically in most, if not all, cases. Furthermore these results suggest that LyP and PLEVA are separate disorders, thus accounting for their variable prognoses.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Complications of cutaneous laser surgery. A survey.

We surveyed a selected group of 139 dermatologists and plastic surgeons about their experience with the complications of cutaneous laser surgery. Reported complication rates varied from 0% to 35%, with means of 3.2% for dermatologists and 6.2% for plastic surgeons using the argon laser, and 4.2% for dermatologists and 2.8% for plastic surgeons using the carbon dioxide laser. Hypertrophic scarring was the complication noted most frequently; 69% of physicians using the argon laser and 64% of physicians using the carbon dioxide laser have seen at least one case of hypertrophic scarring. Complications noted less frequently include infection, pain, atrophic scarring, intraoperative or postoperative hemorrhage, and prolonged wound healing. Environmental accidents were few. No procedure-related deaths, ocular damage, or secondary cutaneous malignant neoplasms were reported. We conclude that cutaneous laser surgery has an acceptable risk profile but that complications are not uncommon.

Argon↗
PubMed1986

Dermatitis herpetiformis. Cutaneous deposition of polyclonal IgA1.

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a pruritic papulovesicular skin disorder of unknown cause, characterized by granular IgA deposits in the dermis along the dermoepidermal junction. It is associated with gluten-sensitive enteropathy and increased IgA production by gut lymphoid tissue. We report four cases of immunologically documented DH studied by immunofluorescence technique. Monoclonal antibodies against the IgA subclasses IgA1 and IgA2 were used. IgA1 without IgA2 was found in the cutaneous deposits in each case. The IgA1 had both kappa and lambda light chains in approximately equal quantities. Because normal gut-associated lymphoid tissue produces 70% IgA1 and 30% IgA2, while circulating IgA is primarily IgA1, it could be concluded that the IgA in the skin of DH patients is not produced in the gut. However, the subclass restriction of the IgA produced by pathologic gut-associated lymphoid tissue is unknown. Alternatively, both IgA1 and IgA2 may be produced by the gut, but only IgA1 is involved in the production of cutaneous lesions.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Immunopathologic studies of adult linear IgA bullous dermatosis.

Three cases of adult linear IgA bullous dermatosis were examined to determine the types of IgA present in the basement membrane zone. IgA 1 subclass, without IgA2, was identified in all three cases; J chain was identified in only one case. Secretory component was absent in all cases. Two observations can be made from this study. First, the predominance of monomeric IgA1 is more compatible with the pattern of antibody secretion of plasma cells present in extragut sites than in intestinal sites. These findings are further evidence of the distinction between dermatitis herpetiformis, which has polymeric IgA1, and adult linear IgA bullous dermatosis and may suggest an extragut site for the origin of the antibodies. The second observation is that the antibodies in adult linear IgA bullous dermatosis show limited expression of heavy and light chains and molecular size that cannot be explained by origin in any compartment. The origin of this limitation cannot be determined from the present data, but possible explanations include a monoclonal or oligoclonal origin of the plasma cells secreting the anti-basement membrane antibodies, genetic restriction of either the immunoglobulin repertoire or helper T-cell response such that only an IgA subpopulation is permitted to be produced in response to the antigen, and selective absorption from the sera or deposition in the skin.

Adult↗