Palmoplantar Epidermal cyst

Han, Kwang Ho; Moon, Sang Eun; Cho, Kwang Hyun

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although palmoplantar epidermal cysts have long been associated with develop ment following implantation of an epidermal fragment as a result of a penetrating or blunt injury, the pathogenic mechanism is still not fully understood. Since 1987, many cases have been reported in which human papillomavirus(HPV) could be associated with palmoplantar epidermal cysts.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we evaluated the clinicopathological findings of palmoplantar epidermal cysts and investigated them for the presence of HPV in order to examine the role of HPV in the pathogenesis of this disorder in Korea.
METHODS
The clinical, histological, immunohistochemical studies were performed on seven cases of plantar cysts, and two cases of palmar cysts.
RESULTS
No previous trauma history was seen. Histopathologically, parakeratotic nuclei, or vacuolar strutures within the keratinous mass in the cyst cavity were found. However, we could not find intracytoplasirnic eosinophilic bodies in the wall, the cyst content, or the overlying epidermis. The dyskeratotic keratinocytes were observed in 3 cases. Papillomavirus common antigens were not detected by immunohissochemical staining.
CONCLUSIONS
Palmoplantar epidermal cysts in Korea have some different histological features compared to those of HPV 60-associated cases in Japan and we could not detect the immunohistochemical evidence of HPV infection in our cases.