Rm. Liu et al., Epidermolysis bullosa of the head and neck: A case report of laryngotracheal involvement and 10-year review of cases at the Hospital for Sick Children, J OTOLARYNG, 28(2), 1999, pp. 76-82
Objective: Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) involvement of the head and neck, par
ticularly of the larynx, can represent a challenge to the otolaryngologist.
In this article, we present a case report of an infant with laryngeal EB r
equiring tracheostomy. All cases of EB occurring over the past 10 years at
The Hospital for Sick Children are reviewed, and the frequency and extent o
f head and neck involvement, including that of the larynx and trachea, is d
escribed. A review of current literature describing laryngeal EB is present
ed.
Method: The charts of all patients diagnosed with EB from the period Novemb
er 1986 to July 1997 were extracted and reviewed in detail. A literature re
view of reports of laryngeal EB over the past 20 years was completed via a
Medline search.
Results: Sixteen cases of EB were identified and reviewed. These cases were
categorized into the three major subtypes of EB: dystrophic EB, junctional
EB, and EB simplex. Three cases of laryngotracheal involvement were report
ed, one within each subtype. In our literature review, only 18 cases of lar
yngotracheal EB have been documented in the past 20 years, and most of thes
e were diagnosed with the junctional EB subtype. The overall prognosis for
patients with junctional EB based on review of cases in our institution, as
well as in our review of literature, was poor.
Conclusions: The extent of EB involvement of the head and neck is variable,
often depending on subtype. Laryngeal involvement with EB is very rare but
of significance, since mortality within this group of patients is high, wi
th death resulting most often from sepsis.