[Self-healing juvenile cutaneous mucinosis. Clinical, histological and ultrastructural study (author's transl)]

Referring to two other cases reported in the literature, the authors suggest the individualisation of a new form of cutaneous mucinosis which is characterized:--clinically, by the young age of the patient, the peculiar topography of the eruption extending to the face, neck, scalp, abdomen and thighs and the association to deep nodules of the face and the periarticular regions;--biologically by the absence of inflammation, dysglobulinemia, endocrinologic changes or bone marrow plasmocytosis;--by the acute on set of the lesions with spontaneous resolution within a few weeks. The diagnosis is based on histologic and histochemical criteria. The mucinous change occurs in the reticular dermis. Ultrastructural features are similar to those found in other dermal mucinoses. The deposit appears to be composed of an electron lucent matrix containing a micro fibrillar network, probably of polysaccharidic nature. In spite of the histochemical similarity to epithelial mucins, the biochemical composition and mode of production of the deposited substance remain to be elucidated.