Bullous amyloidosis. Report of 3 cases and review of the literature.

We report 3 cases of bullous immunoglobulinic amyloidosis and review 25 published cases. In 2 of our patients, amyloid deposits were not detected with special staining, but by means of ultrastructural methods. Investigations of the skin lesions permitted the diagnosis of associated plasma cell dyscrasia in 2 patients. Unexplained bullous lesions should be investigated for amyloid deposits and the presence of monoclonal gammopathy by methods including electron microscopy and immunochemical analysis of serum and urine.