title: [Resistant acquired bullous epidermolysis with severe ocular involvement: the success of extracorporeal photochemotherapy].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epidermolysis bullosa aquisista can leave several functional sequelae. The lesions sometimes resist treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of a 25-year-old young man presenting with a severe epidermolysis bullosa acquisita confirmed by the electronic immunomicroscopy. He had a major ocular involvement with symblepharon and cicatricial synechial lesions. He was almost blind because of corneal scars. All immunosuppressive treatments had failed: systemic corticoids, cyclosporin, azathioprine. The introduction of extracorporeal photochemotherapy resulted in the healing of the lesions, after a total of 32 procedures. All treatment are now stopped, and the lesions are purely cicatricial, without any relapse of the disease since 9 months. Corneal grafts are now under process, to try to recover a part of the lost visual acuity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case demonstrates the efficacy of extracorporeal chemotherapy to be tried in case other treatments failed.
authors.affiliation: Service de Dermatologie et Vénéréologie, CHU Donka, Guinée.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Camara
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Bécherel
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bussel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lagrange
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chosidow
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Joly
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Piette
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Francès
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology; D003229:Conjunctival Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D016107:Epidermolysis Bullosa Acquisita / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005128:Eye Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D017893:Photopheresis; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000473:pathology; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents