Phenytoin therapy for junctional epidermolysis bullosa

Junctional epidermolysis bullosa (JEB) is a recessively inherited mechanobullous disease characterized by neonatal onset of blisters, healing without scarring or milium formation, dystrophic nails, and internal involvement in some patients. Several treatment modalities have been tried, including systemic corticosteroids and oral vitamin E, but no form of therapy has been uniformly successful. We describe a patient with JEB treated with phenytoin, followed by improvement in his skin lesions.