Epidermoid Cysts – A Wide Spectrum of Clinical Presentation and Successful Treatment by Surgery: A Retrospective 10-Year Analysis and Literature Review

Abstract

Epidermoid cysts are common benign lesions of hair-bearing, and less often glabrous skin. They can also occur in oral mucosa and internal organs. In case of cutaneous lesions, an epidermal punctum is a clinical diagnostic hallmark. The clinical presentation is variable leading to some differential diagnoses. Diagnosis of epidermoid cysts needs histopathological confirmation – not only of the potential of malignant transformation. The treatment of choice is surgery. We report a retrospective analysis of 2159 epidermoid cysts treated surgically. Most of the cases can be performed under local anaesthesia. The complication rate of 2.2% is low. To avoid relapses, the cyst wall has to be removed completely. Rare genetic disorders with multiple cysts are Gardner and Lowe syndrome.

Cells to Surgery Quiz: February 2020

“…Epidermal cyst: Epidermal cysts are extremely common benign skin lesions. They can occur on any hair-bearing site of the body but typically present on the scalp, face, neck, back, or scrotum as a slow growing, firm, mobile nodule (Wollina et al, 2018). A central punctum is often present on close inspection.…”

“…A central punctum is often present on close inspection. The cyst is formed from the infundibular portion of the hair follicle and is filled with a keratinous material (Wollina et al, 2018). Some lesions may stay stable in size, whereas others can grow larger and become inflamed.…”

Quiste epidermoide en cavidad oral. Un reporte de caso

“…Los quistes se clasifican histológicamente como epidermoides cuando se derivan del tejido ectodérmico y se encuentran recubiertos por epitelio escamoso estratificado, dermoides cuando poseen una cavidad rodeada por epitelio similar y que contiene estructuras como glándulas sebáceas o sudoríparas; y teratomas cuando la cavidad está cubierta por epitelio que contiene algunos derivados del endodermo y mesodermo, como músculo, mucosa intestinal, mucosa respiratoria, hueso o vasos sanguíneos [1][2][3][4][5][6] . El Quiste Epidermoide (QE) es una lesión quística, benigna, poco frecuente (0,01% de los quistes de cavidad oral y 1,6% a 6,9% de cabeza y cuello) [1][2][3][4] . Su etiología es desconocida, sin embargo, se ha asociado a remanentes de tejido embrionario ectodérmico durante la fusión del primer y segundo arco branquial durante el desarrollo embrionario.…”

Sonographic appearance of sebaceous cysts. Our experience and a review of the literature

“…These types of cysts are predominant in males, with a ratio of 2:1, and typically occur in the third to fourth decades of life. Malignant transformation into a squamous carcinoma or into a basalioma occurs in 1% of cases. Although sebaceous cysts are very common and benign, differential diagnosis with other diseases is not constantly immediate and may include a large number of other frequently benign diseases.…”

“…Malignant transformation into a squamous carcinoma or into a basalioma 10,11 cutaneous meningioma. 12 From a clinical perspective, one of the characteristics of epidermoid cysts is the visibility of a superficial dark spot, which represents the obstructed piliferous follicle caused by the disease.…”