aplasia cutis?

Question

my nephew was born yesterday with this birth defect i know the basics but has anyone else had a baby born with this? he is perfect in every other way

Answer 1

Aplasia Cutis Congenita
Last Updated: July 12, 2005 Rate this Article
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Synonyms and related keywords: ACC, congenital ulcer of the newborn, congenital localized absence of skin, cutis aplasia, congenital scar

Background: Aplasia cutis congenita (ACC) is part of a heterogenous group of disorders first reported by Cordon in 1767 and is characterized by the absence of a portion of skin in a localized or widespread area at birth. It most commonly (70%) manifests as a solitary defect on the scalp, but sometimes it may occur as multiple lesions. The lesions are noninflammatory and well demarcated, and they range in size from 0.5-10 cm. ACC may be circular, oval, linear, or stellate in configuration. At birth, the lesions may have already healed with scarring or may remain superficially eroded to deeply ulcerated, occasionally involving the dura or the meninges.

Defects in the skin that form early in gestation may heal before delivery and appear as an atrophic, membranous, or parchmentlike scar with associated alopecia, whereas less mature defects present as ulcerations. Most lesions occur on the scalp vertex just lateral to the midline, but defects may also occur on the face, the trunk, or the limbs, sometimes symmetrically. The depth may involve only the epidermis and the upper dermis, resulting in minimal alopecic scarring, or the defect may extend to the deep dermis, the subcutaneous tissue, or rarely the periosteum, the skull, and the dura.

ACC is most often a benign isolated defect, but it can be associated with other physical anomalies or malformation syndromes.

Frieden created a classification system for ACC (outlined below) consisting of 9 groups based on the number and location of the lesions and the presence or absence of associated malformations.


Group 1: This is scalp ACC without multiple anomalies. Nearly 86% of all solitary lesions occur on the scalp. A collar of hair is often seen around the defect. It can be autosomal dominant or sporadic.

Group 2: This is scalp involvement with limb anomalies. Adams-Oliver syndrome is a distinct subtype in which distal limb reduction abnormalities are found in association with solitary midline scalp defects. More than 15 such cases have been reported, usually with an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern and variable genetic expression. The scalp lesions tend to be large. The most common limb malformation is hypoplastic or absent distal phalanges. Other anomalies may include cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita, hemangiomas, cranial arteriovenous malformation, skin tags, supernumerary nipples, and woolly hair.

Group 3: This is scalp ACC with epidermal and sebaceous (organoid) nevi, which also involve the scalp, usually adjacent to the cutis aplasia. Some patients have also had ophthalmic and neurologic findings typical of epidermal nevus syndrome, including seizures, mental retardation, corneal opacities, and eyelid colobomas. Inheritance is sporadic.

Group 4: This is ACC often with a hair collar overlying deeper embryologic malformations. Examples include meningomyelocele, porencephaly, leptomeningeal angiomatosis, cranial stenosis, spinal dysraphism, gastroschisis, and omphalocele. The inheritance pattern in this group varies with the associated underlying condition.

Group 5: This is ACC associated with fetus papyraceous or placental infarct. Extensive truncal and limb ACC in a linear or stellate configuration is associated with the presence of fetus papyraceous. Fetus papyraceous is found at the time of delivery and results from the death of a twin fetus early in the second trimester. The surviving fetus is affected with ACC and is usually otherwise normal.

Group 6: This is ACC associated with simplex, junctional, or dystrophic types of epidermolysis bullosa (EB). Many reports describe ACC, usually occurring on the lower extremities, in patients eventually diagnosed with EB. Initially described as Bart syndrome, this type of presentation represents a variant of dystrophic EB. A subgroup includes the association of pyloric or duodenal atresia, ureteral stenosis, renal abnormalities, craniofacial abnormalities, nail dystrophy, and ACC.

Group 7: This is ACC localized to the extremities without EB. At least 2 families have been reported in which multiple members have had extensive ACC on the pretibial lower extremities and the dorsal aspects of the hands and the feet.

Group 8: This is ACC due to teratogens. A few cases of ACC have been linked to intrauterine infection with herpes simplex virus or varicella-zoster virus or to exposure to methimazole in the treatment of maternal thyrotoxicosis during pregnancy. Imperforate anus has been associated with methimazole or carbimazole exposure during gestation.

Group 9: This is ACC associated with malformation syndromes. Various syndromes and dysplasias include trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) with large membranous scalp defects, 4p- (Wolf-Hirschhorn) syndrome with midline scalp defects, Setleis syndrome with bitemporal ACC and abnormal eyelashes, Johanson-Blizzard syndrome with stellate scalp defects, focal dermal hypoplasia (Goltz syndrome), amniotic band disruption complex, oculocerebrocutaneous (Delleman) syndrome, scalp-ear-nipple syndrome (Finlay-Mark syndrome), and 46XY gonadal dysgenesis. Reticulolinear ACC on the face and the neck is a distinctive cutaneous manifestation in several syndromes linked to Xp22.

Pathophysiology: The skin and occasionally the underlying structures are affected in ACC. Lesions are clean, sharply demarcated, and noninflammatory in appearance.


Frequency:


In the US: ACC is an uncommon anomaly of newborns. More than 500 cases have been reported since it was first described, but because of significant underreporting of this generally benign disorder, the precise frequency is unknown. One estimate of incidence is approximately 3 in 10,000 births.
Internationally: The international frequency is expected to be similar to that in the United States.
Mortality/Morbidity: If the defect is small, recovery is uneventful, with gradual epithelialization and formation of a hairless, atrophic scar over several weeks. Small underlying bony defects usually close spontaneously during the first year of life. Surgical repair of large or multiple scalp defects with excision and primary closure, if feasible, or with the use of tissue expanders and rotation of a flap, may be considered. Truncal and limb defects, despite their large size, usually epithelialize and form atrophic scars, which can later be revised if necessary.

Underlying or associated defects may also significantly affect mortality and morbidity. Full-thickness defects of the scalp, skull, and dura are associated with a mortality rate of greater than 50%. Even large defects on areas other than the scalp usually heal well with conservative skin care using silver sulfadiazine ointment. The rare larger scalp defects are prone to complications of hemorrhage and infection; subsequently, patients are at risk for death. Extensive ACC of the scalp may be associated with an increased risk of sagittal sinus thrombosis. For these reasons, surgical intervention may be required for large, full-thickness scalp defects.

Race: No racial predilection is reported.

Sex: Unless associated with an X-linked malformation syndrome no sexual predilection exists.

Age: Lesions are congenital.



CLINICAL Section 3 of 10
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History: History should include a review of maternal medications taken during the pregnancy and evidence of infections such with varicella or herpes viruses. Because many forms of ACC are inherited, a thorough family history is important.

Physical:

Diagnosis is made on the basis of physical findings indicative of an in utero disruption of skin development. Most lesions occur on the scalp lateral to the midline, but they may also occur on the face, the trunk, or the limbs, sometimes symmetrically.
The lesions are noninflammatory and well demarcated. The appearance of the lesions varies, depending on when they occur during intrauterine development. Lesions that form early in gestation may heal before delivery and appear as an atrophic, membranous, parchmentlike or fibrotic alopecic scar, whereas less mature defects may present as an ulceration of variable depth. With only the epidermis and the upper dermis involved, minimal alopecic scarring may result, but deeper defects may extend through the dermis, the subcutaneous tissue, and rarely the periosteum, the skull, or the dura. Distorted hair growth around a scalp lesion, known as the hair collar sign, is a marker for underlying defects. A bullous variant of ACC manifesting as a tense yellow vesicle on the scalp has been reported.
A complete physical examination should be performed to search for associated physical anomalies or recognizable malformation syndromes.
Causes:

No unifying theory can account for all lesions of ACC. Because this condition is the phenotypic result of more than one disease process, it is likely that more than one mechanism is involved. Mechanisms include genetic factors, teratogens (eg, methimazole, carbimazole, misoprostol, valproic acid), compromised vasculature to the skin, and trauma. Of particular note is the association of fetus papyraceous with bilaterally symmetric ACC.
The proximity of scalp ACC to the scalp hair whorl, which is thought to be the point of maximum tensile force during rapid brain growth, has led to the hypothesis that tension-induced disruption of the overlying skin occurs at 10-15 weeks of gestation when hair direction, patterning, and rapid brain growth occur.
Early rupture of the amniotic membranes, forming amniotic bands, has appeared to be the cause of ACC in several cases.
The bullous variant of ACC reveals a distinct histologic pattern identical to those in encephaloceles and meningoceles. This supports a hypothesis that this variant of aplasia cutis may represent the form fruste of a neural tube closure defect.
DIFFERENTIALS Section 4 of 10
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Epidermolysis Bullosa
Focal Dermal Hypoplasia Syndrome



Other Problems to be Considered:

Few other conditions present with ulcerations or scars in the newborn period. ACC must be differentiated from the erosions of EB; this differentiation is especially important because ACC may be diagnosed alone before new lesions from EB become apparent.

Neonatal herpes may present with an erosion, often on the scalp, but rarely at delivery. Some lesions have been attributed to fetal varicella.

Lesions are sometimes mistakenly attributed to birth trauma secondary to vacuum extraction, forceps, or fetal scalp monitor electrodes.

Seitleis syndrome includes bitemporal ACC with other facial cutaneous abnormalities and has been termed congenital ectodermal dysplasia of the face.

Transient bullous dermolysis of the newborn is a rare, benign, blistering disease evident at birth or shortly thereafter; this condition resolves during the first months of life leaving no dystrophic scars.

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WORKUP Section 5 of 10
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Lab Studies:


No specific laboratory abnormalities are consistently found in this condition. Abnormalities due to associated conditions may be present. Chromosome analysis may be indicated if a pattern of abnormalities suggests a genetic disorder.
Imaging Studies:


Imaging studies are seldom required for small circular or oval ACC of the scalp with no apparent associated anomalies.
Atypical or very large scalp defects should be imaged for possible underlying bone or soft tissue defects. In one neonate, a ventricular diverticulum of the posterior horn of the lateral ventricle was associated with ACC of the scalp. It manifested as an expanding bulge of the subdural space.
Distal radial epiphyseal dysplasia associated with ACC over the dorsum of the distal forearm has been reported. The cutis aplasia was diagnosed at birth but the radial dysplasia was not recognized until presentation to an orthopedist at age 5-10 10 years. Radiographs of the involved extremity should be performed in cases of ACC involving the distal forearm.
Other Tests:


Other tests may be indicated for evaluation of associated conditions.
Histologic Findings: The histologic features of the skin vary according to the depth of the aplasia and its duration. At birth, ulcerated lesions may show a complete absence of skin. After healing, the epidermis may appear flattened with a proliferation of fibroblasts within the connective-tissue stroma and an absence of adnexal structures. Bullous ACC is a rare clinical subtype of ACC with distinctive histologic findings. Histologic evaluation of such lesions reveals a distinct pattern containing fibrovascular stromas, edematous stroma, or both. Identical histologic findings are found in encephaloceles and meningoceles.
TREATMENT Section 6 of 10
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Medical Care:

Local therapy includes gentle cleansing and applying bland ointment or silver sulfadiazine ointment to prevent desiccation of the defect.
Antibiotics are only indicated if overt signs of infection are noted.
Other treatment is rarely necessary because the erosions and the ulcerations almost always heal spontaneously.
Surgical Care:

Surgical repair is not usually indicated if the defect is small. Recovery is uneventful, with gradual epithelialization and formation of a hairless, atrophic scar over several weeks. Small underlying bony defects usually close spontaneously during the first year of life.
Surgical repair of large or multiple scalp defects may require excision with primary closure, if feasible, or the use of tissue expanders and rotation of a flap to fill the defect. Skin and bone grafts may also be required. Occasionally, skin grafting may be required.
Patients with large, full-thickness scalp defects may face a treatment dilemma: conservative versus surgical therapy of the defect. Complete osseous regeneration of a large skull defect associated with ACC has been obtained with a conservative approach of skin care and silver sulfadiazine dressings. No surgical treatment of bone or soft tissue reconstruction was necessary. On the other hand, ACC of the scalp may be complicated by sagittal sinus hemorrhage or thrombosis, and primary closure with scalp flaps may prevent a potentially fatal outcome.
Truncal and limb defects, despite their large size, usually epithelialize and form atrophic scars, which can later be revised if necessary.
Patients should be evaluated for evidence of EB before a surgical endeavor is undertaken.
Consultations:

Genetic counseling should be considered if associated anomalies are noted.
Consultations based on other findings are appropriate to evaluate these conditions.
FOLLOW-UP Section 7 of 10
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Further Outpatient Care:


Usually, simple wound care is adequate. Additional care may be required for associated problems if present.
Complications:


Major complications are rare but include hemorrhage, secondary local infection, meningitis, or sagittal sinus thrombosis.
Larger lesions associated with underlying bony defects may result in death secondary to central nervous system infection or hemorrhage from the sagittal sinus.
Complications may also be the result of associtated anomalies.
Prognosis:


The prognosis is usually excellent.
If ACC is associated with other anomalies, the prognosis is dependent on the severity of the abnormality.
Patient Education:


Genetic counseling is advised for parents of infants who are affected, except for those classified within group 1 or 8.

Answer 2

Cutis Aplasia Pictures

Answer 3

Hi, If you did a urine test then chances of it being positive only a week after missing your period is zero. A blood test can however detect pregnancies at least 5 days after your missed period. Your symptoms however are signs that I had before I did the blood test which I'm proud to say turned out positive for me. I would suggest a blood test to be more accurate if this pregnancy is what you want. Good Luck either way.

Answer 4

Cold sores are caused by the herpes virus. Many of us already have the cold sore virus dormant in our bodies, and never have a flare up of cold sores. We contracted it as children, as it is a very common virus, and children pick it up easily as they often share food and drinks, and may be less concerned about hand washing and hygiene. Cold sores can be transmitted even when the person does not have a cold sore, though it is less likely to happen then.

remember that you can remove genital warts by surgery, freezing, laser, acid or cream but genital warts can reappear again and again because genital warts appears when your immune system is weak!

I got diagnosed with herpes type 2 about seven years ago, when I was still in college and had a stupid one-night stand. However, Not only was I able to remove all traces of the herpes virus from my system in less than three weeks, but I was also able to start dating again!

https://tr.im/JQ7G7

Answer 5

http://www.emedicine.com/DERM/topic32.htm

nope. however, it will go away with time. congrats on the nephew.