News

Dermatologists and other physicians who treat Medicare patients escaped the 23 percent reimbursement reduction scheduled to take effect in December, and the pressure was on the lame-duck Congress in December to prevent the 24.9 percent cut slated for Jan. 1 from being implemented.

On Call asked dermatologists around the country whether they prefer to see the national healthcare reform legislation repealed or repaired. We also asked what they like - and dislike - most about the law.

Successful treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) often combines medical and surgical treatments, guided by increasingly sensitive symptom severity scales, according to one expert.

Experts in contact dermatitis are finding that good outcomes after patch testing might be more of a matter of how the results are used than anything else. According to Matthew J. Zirwas, M.D., director, Contact Dermatitis Center, Ohio State University Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, some new studies are revealing novel approaches for managing patients after patch testing that are more likely to benefit the patients.

Dr. Derm and his associates decided it was in the practice's best interests if he left. His access to network office materials should have been terminated Jan. 1, but it was not until Feb. 1 that it was done. In the meantime, Dr. Derm downloaded medical records of some of his former associates' family members.

Patients with repeated dermatitis of the skin surrounding the nail plate might benefit from a refresher course on the chemical agents commonly used to formulate various nail products and possible skin reactions associated with those agents, according to a physician.

The next time you see a patient presenting with a widespread, severely pruritic rash, ask them if he or she has been in any hot tubs lately. A common chemical used in hot tubs called potassium peroxymonosulfate could be the culprit. The rash tends to affect the back, calves and inner parts of arms.

Effectively treating metastatic melanoma remains a challenging task, and this is particularly true when the tumor spreads to the brain. Gamma Knife radiosurgery is one therapeutic modality that can treat metastatic lesions in the brains of carefully selected patients while sparing the surrounding healthy tissue and improving patients' quality of life.

Maintaining a high index of suspicion for sebaceous carcinoma is important in those patients who present with certain periocular lesions, because sebaceous carcinoma can be an aggressive tumor that's often misdiagnosed, says Marc Brown, M.D.

Fractional CO2 laser treatment offers a novel option for periorbital rejuvenation that results in minimal downtime and benefits skin texture and laxity as well as brow elevation, according to Dvora Ancona, M.D.

Alexander Gross, M.D., makes daily differences in the lives of his patients as a practicing dermatologist in Cumming, Ga. He also makes a big-picture impact on the professional as a whole, as chairman of the Georgia Composite Medical Board.

Evidence-based treatment options for moderate-to-severe pediatric atopic dermatitis and psoriasis are severely limited, according to specialists in the field, leading to the creation of a national collaborative by several pediatric dermatologists.

Knowledge of contact allergens during dermatologic surgery and in postoperative woundcare is important for all surgical and procedural dermatologists. Potential allergens found in cutaneous surgery include skin preparation substances, perioperative materials, and postoperative substances such as dressings and adhesives, an expert says.

The House of Representatives passed legislation Nov. 29 that temporarily halts the 23 percent cut in Medicare physician payments that was to take effect Dec. 1, MedPage Today reports.

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) General and Plastic Surgery Devices Panel has endorsed - albeit grudgingly - a novel device designed to help doctors evaluate atypical skin lesions, including melanoma, Medscape Medical News reports.

A new study by the National Institutes of Health suggests that a small percentage of people with dermatitis herpetiformis may eventually go into spontaneous remission, and be able to wean off medication and a gluten-free diet, Reuters Health reports.

The Australian state of New South Wales is attempting to tighten tanning bed regulations by calling for a ban on tanning bed usage by people under age 30 and by anyone with skin classed as very sensitive, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

Nearly 95 percent of American physicians report that their patients have rationed or gone without medication or treatments in the past six months due to financial concerns, according to a survey conducted by MDLinx, one of the country’s largest doctor portals.

Up for Renewal : Dermatologists debate MOC-D requirements, recertification exam Formula for Delay : Medicare SGR fix may be further away as GOP captures House majority Special Report : Wound healing

Despite initial protests, dermatologists required to participate in maintenance of certification (MOC) programs generally view them as helpful tools for improving patient care, doctors say. However, even some MOC proponents question the effectiveness of the American Board of Dermatology recertification test in this regard, and the recent shift to a closed-book format.

With a new wave of Republicans who have vowed to slash federal spending now controlling the House of Representatives and wielding more clout in the Senate, chances that the Medicare fee schedule crisis will be permanently resolved any time soon appear to have significantly dimmed.

Tattoos are increasingly prevalent in Western society. One survey found that 24 percent of respondents had tattoos. While options for tattoo removal include excision, dermabrasion and CO2 laser vaporization, selective short-pulsed laser treatment is the preferred modality.

A new technique that begins with early tangential excision and coverage with cadaver allograft (A), followed by placement of cultured epithelial autograft (CEA) onto an allodermis base (CEA/A) is an effective treatment for coverage of large burns, according to a recent study.

There is a gold standard in woundcare systems based on the concept of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), but making refinements to the gold standard is driving innovation that is seeing the emergence of alternative woundcare systems.

Ronald L. Moy, M.D., has always cared about dermatology, but he never intended to join the specialty. Today, he is president-elect of the American Academy of Dermatology 2010 board of directors, set to assume the academy's presidency in February 2011.

Treatment algorithms notwithstanding, diagnosing and treating melanomas measuring less than 1 mm thick poses many challenges, an expert says.

The cover story on my office copy of this month's Readers Digest caught my eye. The title was "Doctors Confess Their Fatal Mistakes." The article recorded personal accounts of errors made by several healthcare providers. In the introduction, the author included a statement about being surprised that so many medical professionals were not only willing but also eager to share their stories.

Although most oral lesions observed in children pose little health risk, some of these lesions may be severe and followed by permanent sequelae, an expert says. And some pediatric oral lesions can provide clues to the presence of a systemic disease, she adds.

In early testing, an experimental protocol combining excimer laser (XTRAC Velocity, PhotoMedex), clobetasol spray and topical calcitriol ointment achieves fast, impressive results in patients with severe, generalized psoriasis.

Dr. Light has been in practice for 25 years. He has never considered himself a "cosmetic dermatologist." He makes the decision to learn more about cosmetic procedures. He feels that if he treads slowly and approaches the learning process of cosmetic dermatology the same way he approached medical dermatology, he can't go wrong.