EMLA cream-induced irritant contact dermatitis
Huiting Dong1, Helmut Kerl, Lorenzo Cerroni
1Department of Dermatology, The First Teaching Hospital, Medical University of Henan, Public Republic of China.
Journal of Cutaneous Pathology
|April 26, 2002
Summary
Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics (EMLA) cream rarely causes skin irritation. This case report details irritant contact dermatitis from EMLA cream in a child with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, highlighting diagnostic considerations.
Area of Science:
- Dermatology
- Anesthesiology
- Pediatric Surgery
Background:
- Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics (EMLA) cream is a widely used topical anesthetic for superficial procedures.
- Cutaneous side effects are uncommon but can occur.
Observation:
- A 6-year-old boy with Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome developed a localized skin reaction after EMLA cream application.
- Clinical presentation included a well-defined patch at the application site.
Findings:
- Histopathology revealed epidermal keratinocyte necrosis and a dermal inflammatory infiltrate rich in neutrophils.
- Interface changes such as basal cell vacuolization and subepidermal clefts were noted.
Implications:
- This case underscores irritant contact dermatitis as a potential adverse effect of EMLA cream.
- Differential diagnoses for EMLA-induced dermatitis include Graft-vs-host-disease and other inflammatory skin conditions.
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