BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment of a recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa patient is very difficult for both the surgeon and the anesthetist because of the fragility of the skin and abnormal nature of the tumor bed. OBJECTIVE: We report a case of 54-year-old Japanese recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa patient with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lateral malleolus. METHODS: A tumor measuring 5.0 x 5.5 cm was surgically excised. The defect was then reconstructed by full-thickness skin grafting. To avoid airway complications, general anesthesia was administered using a face mask. Because the regional lymph nodes were swollen before surgery, the patient underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy. RESULTS: The patient remains well with no sign of recurrence or metastasis 7 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: To preserve activities of daily living, surgery should be performed for squamous cell carcinomas arising in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa patients.
BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment of a recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosapatient is very difficult for both the surgeon and the anesthetist because of the fragility of the skin and abnormal nature of the tumor bed. OBJECTIVE: We report a case of 54-year-old Japanese recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosapatient with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lateral malleolus. METHODS: A tumor measuring 5.0 x 5.5 cm was surgically excised. The defect was then reconstructed by full-thickness skin grafting. To avoid airway complications, general anesthesia was administered using a face mask. Because the regional lymph nodes were swollen before surgery, the patient underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy. RESULTS: The patient remains well with no sign of recurrence or metastasis 7 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: To preserve activities of daily living, surgery should be performed for squamous cell carcinomas arising in recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosapatients.